A Targeted Cheetah
by OneCreativeIdiot
Summary: Her good friend was badly injured. Her other friends told her it was her fault. She accepted that it was all her fault...when in truth, it wasn't. {CHAPTERS 4,5, AND 6 WILL SOON BE REVAMPED}
1. Chapter 1

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hello, everyone. I wish you all a warm-hearted welcome to my latest dramatic fanfic. My previous "Lion King" story has been a great success and I thank you all for reading it. The story you're about to read has a premise that might sound overused and predictable to some people; however this story centers around a serious issue that can happen to anyone, anywhere, at anytime, and must be stopped before it gets worse. Be advised that this story contains content that may disturb some readers. With all that said, let's begin our story.

DISCLAIMER: All characters and elements of "The Lion Guard" are property of Disney Television Animation; all other characters and elements of "The Lion King" are property of Walt Disney Animation Studios.

As every animal- from the gigantic elephant to the tiny ant -roamed the massive savanna that was part of their homeland, a great sense of tranquility came upon them all as it always did for countless years. Their home, known by all as the Pride Lands, had magnificent beauty as far as the eye could see. The grass was tall, green, and ripe for zebras and antelope to eat; the leaves on the trees were also green and ripe for the giraffes. The water that coursed through the rivers and made up the watering hole was blue and obtained its own beauty. There were other parts of the Pride Lands that had their distinct colors and purposes, and, altogether, they were what made the Pride Lands a marvelous place to live in.

However, despite its magnificent appearance and ability to sustain life for all of its inhabitants, there was a dark shadow that loomed over the Pride Lands. It could be traced back to a horrendous era that nearly wiped out all life in the great land.

A heartless and malicious lion named Scar murdered his brother, Mufasa, so he could become king of the Pride Lands. He also convinced Mufasa's son, Simba, that he was responsible for the murder and that he should flee the Pride Lands to avoid severe punishment. The cub complied and fled, never to return. After announcing the loss of Mufasa and Simba, Scar took the throne and allowed the hyenas, who were banished from the Pride Lands because of their wickedness and gluttony, to roam the land freely.

This ultimately led to a famine that would've brought the end of the Pride Lands upon everyone if Simba had not returned to confront Scar. Even though he persuaded everyone that it was his nephew who killed Mufasa, Scar eventually confessed to his atrocious crime, igniting a colossal battle that ended in a massive inferno and the deaths of Scar and a great amount of hyenas.

Even though the Pride Lands had regained its splendor years ago, there was still a threat to all the Pride Landers. The descendants of the hyenas who were most loyal to Scar were still at large. They lived in the Outlands, a remote gorge on the outskirts of the Pride Lands, and would constantly attempt to steal animals for food. However, the hyenas had a big problem when it came to their evil plans. A problem known by all as the Lion Guard.

Long ago, the Lion Guard was a small group of lions led by Scar. Each lion had a special ability- fierceness, speed, bravery, keen eyesight, and strength -and they all assisted those in need whenever possible. But, because of Scar's abuse of power, the Lion Guard was terminated and eventually forgotten. That changed when Kion, the youngest cub of King Simba and Queen Nala, suddenly obtained the paranormal ability to amit a powerful roar.

As it turned out, Kion had a super power called the Roar of the Elders, the predominant ability of the leader of the Lion Guard, and he was destined to be the leader of a new Guard. While he was determined to take his new responsibility seriously, his father was skeptical since he had asked his friends, who weren't lions, to be members of the Guard. Simba rejected Kion's proposal, but, after Kion and his friends saved Kiara, his older sister and future Queen of the Pride Lands, from a failed hyena attack, the lion king accepted his son and his friends as the new Lion Guard.

From that day forward, whenever there was trouble in the Pride Lands, whether it was an assault by the vicious hyenas or a simple dilemma that could worsen overtime, Kion and his friends- a rambunctious but brave honey badger named Bunga, a swift cheetah named Fuli, a sharp-eyed cattle egret named Ono, and a vigorous hippopotamus named Beshte -would be there to help out their friends and foil their enemy's plans. For the five of them, they were not only being heroes, they were contributing vast amounts of tranquility to keep the Pride Lands the greatest place to ever exist.

Unfortunately, there came a time when darkness fell upon the Lion Guard. Even though three of the Guard members were swallowed in deep hate, the following days and actions by those three animals would only allow the antipathy to spread, ultimately leading to calamity, and would plunge all of the Pride Lands into darkness once again.

Everything began on a clear, serene day. The colors of the Pride Lands were in full intensity thanks to the brightness of the sun's brilliant glow. As well as light, the sun also brought a strong sensation of heat that caused a lot of the animals to feel uncomfortable. Many of those animals went to the watering hole to cool themselves with a drink of water. The other fraction was staying out of the sun and remaining in shady spots like the ground under large trees. All in all, a majority of the Pride Lands' population was suffering from the severe heat.

The Lion Guard was also dealing with the heat. The group strolled through the savanna on their afternoon patrol. Because of the extreme heat, their movements appeared to be sluggish. All five members were displeased to be out on patrol in such unbearable conditions, but Bunga was the most unhappy. The poor honey badger dragged himself behind his friends and, when the others were far ahead of him, he would have to gain all of his strength and run to rejoin his friends.

"I hate when it gets this hot!" Bunga complained. "I'm sweating with every step I take!"

"You're not alone, Bunga!" Fuli grumbled.

"Then why are we still walking around?!" Bunga inquired. "Why don't we all go to Hakuna Matata Falls and cool off?!"

"Because, Bunga, we have to make sure Janja and the hyenas are not in the Pride Lands," Kion explained. "It's our duty; remember?"

"Oh yeah," said Bunga. "This heat is making me forget things."

Ono, who was riding on Beshte's head, wiped the sweat off his forehead with one of his wings. "How long until afternoon patrol is over?" he panted. "I'm dying in this weather."

"You'll know for sure when we head back to Pride Rock," Kion replied.

"That doesn't really help, Kion," said Beshte.

"I think we all want to go to Hakuna Matata Falls," said Fuli. "No one can stand this heat! Plus, Bunga's smelling worse than usual!"

Bunga was mad at first, but then he sniffed himself and realized she was being truthful. The sweat on his fur was giving off a foul scent that was far worse than any smell he had ever smelled. He figured that an evening bath would undoubtedly remove the awful scent from his body.

The Lion Guard continued on with their patrol. They entered a massive field where they saw a herd of antelope grazing peacefully. From what Kion, Fuli, Bunga, and Beshte could see, everything appeared to be normal. Ono, on the other hand, thought he had seen a bizarre-colored rock actually move. He flew up into the air to get a better look.

Using his keen eyesight, Ono saw more rocks just like the first. When he noticed that the rocks had limbs, ears, and tails, he quickly realized what those rocks really were.

"Hapana!" Ono gasped, grabbing the attention of the rest of the Guard. "The hyenas are about to attack the antelope!"

"I thought I smelled something different," Bunga said mockingly.

"Let's not waste any time!" Kion told his friends. "Let's try a sneak attack on Janja."

"A sneak attack?" Fuli asked. "How do we pull that off?"

"Just follow my lead," Kion replied.

No one asked their leader what they were going to do exactly. They followed the lion cub cautiously around the enormous herd and towards the hiding hyenas.

In the tall grass far from the grazing herd, Janja and his crew of vicious hyenas eyed the antelope as they in peace. The wicked predators grinned as they visualized themselves dining upon the animals in front of them. Their stomachs rumbled and their mouths began to salivate. They also felt their limbs shaking in anticipation. For the hyenas, this would be a grand feast.

Janja glanced over to the hyenas by his sides. To his left was Chungu, a tough but stupid hyena, and to his right was Cheezi, a hyena who was very jumpy at times. They were both idiotic but were exceedingly loyal to Janja, which was probably the reason why they were still in the high ranks. None of the other hyenas cared about that at the moment; all they wanted was all the food they could eat.

When he believed that the time was right, Janja spoke aloud. "Alright, everyone, this is it!" he said with immense pride. "This is the day we've all been waiting for! The Guard's not around to stop us! So, let's take this opportunity to get some dinner!"

"Yeah, let's do!" Cheezi cheered and bounced onto his feet and dash forward.

Just as Janja and the other hyenas got up and prepared to attack, they all heard a familiar voice call out: "Huwezi!"

Instantly, Fuli charged into Cheezi at full speed, knocking him to the ground who then rolled to a stop.

The rest of the Lion Guard joined Fuli and stood in front of the mob of hyenas.

"Just our luck!" Janja growled. "We were spotted!"

"Nice try, Janja!" said Kion. "You did your best sneaking your way here, but it didn't work! Now turn around and go home!"

"I don't think so!" Janja roared. He then shouted at his army: "Attack!"

The hyenas charged at the Lion Guard as fast as they could. The Guard was outnumbered but not one of them backed down.

Escaping the first wave of hyenas was tough, but the five animals managed to beat them with a great amount of strength. Then came the next wave. As the hyenas rapidly approached them, Kion turned to Beshte and said, "Beshte, take 'em down!"

"You got it, Kion!" Beshte replied. The hippo quickly rushed forward with his head bowed and cried, "Twende Kiboko!"

Beshte slammed into the hyenas, sending them into midair before crashing onto the solid ground a few feet away.

Janja was furious to see his army shorten by each battle. The Lion Guard was taking the hyenas down fight by fight. When it only was him, Cheezi, Chungu, and about six hyenas left, Janja snarled at Kion; "Is that really the best you got?!"

"It's what we've always had!" Bunga said in a loud voice.

"Take my advice, Janja," Kion told the villainous hyena before him. "Stay out of places where you don't belong!"

"I'd never take a Pride Lander's advice!" said Janja. "You all think you can truly take me and my clan down?! We'll see if you really can!"

Janja jumped forward and Kion pounced towards him. The hyena suddenly sprinted to his right and Kion stopped in front of him. With a growl, Janja then turned around and ran towards his clan. Kion had a feeling that they weren't retreating to the Outlands. The hyenas were about to pull off one of their wicked tricks. The cub dashed after the hyenas and the Guard immediately followed him.

Janja led the hyenas and the Lion Guard on a furious chase. None of the hyenas knew where their leader was taking them or their enemies to, but they hoped that it would get the Guard off their backs for the day.

From behind the hyena stampede, Bunga yelled at Janja: "Where are you going, Janja?!"

"Relax!" Janja called back. "We're just taking a shortcut!"

The Lion Guard knew all-too well that Janja was leading them to the Outlands. It was their first and only guess, but it was the most logical. Despite getting extremely exhausted from the running they were enduring, the Guard pursued the hyenas with great speed.

Up ahead was the entrance to a massive gorge. It wasn't the Outlands, but somewhere that had a similar, menacing appearance. All around the animals were towering walls of earth. When Janja finally reached the end of the gorge, he saw a gigantic pile of rocks and boulders leading upwards. Perfect, he thought.

The hyenas and the Lion Guard stopped chasing each other and took a moment to catch their breath. Kion was the first to get air into his lungs. He then approached the hyenas with significant courage. "Alright, Janja," said Kion; "you led us down here; what are going to do now?"

"It's quite simple, really," Janja replied cunningly. "We're going to settle this properly."

"I don't believe you," Kion told the vile hyena.

"You shouldn't always believe everything you hear," Janja responded with a wide grin. "But today will be different!"

Almost immediately, Janja dashed to the rock pile and started to climb. Cheezi, Chungu, and three other hyenas closely followed their leader. The three hyenas remaining charged at the Lion Guard. Beshte defeated them with one powerful blow. Kion and Fuli ran to the rock pile and began to climb to confront Janja and the other hyenas.

Kion had no difficulty ascending the rocks; Fuli, however, often slipped and fell back because she grabbed and stepped on loose rocks. She got frustrated because of it, but didn't worry at all. She, Beshte, Bunga, and Ono knew that Kion would finish off the hyenas once he was at the top. The Roar of the Elders always overpowered the enemy.

Kion leapt onto a huge boulder and found Janja, Chungu, Cheezi, and the other three hyenas waiting for him. "It's about time you got up here, Kion!" Janja mocked.

"This is your last chance, Janja," Kion informed the hyenas with narrowed eyes. "You and your clan better leave now before you're flung out of here!"

"How about a fight first?" Janja offered. "That would be much fair; wouldn't it?"

Kion growled. A fight wouldn't do any good. A lion cub against six hyenas would definitely end badly for him. As anger grew inside him, so did a much powerful sensation. Kion had always known this odd sensation. He was about to use the Roar on the hyenas before him.

Fuli had successfully climbed her way up to the top of the scaling rock pile and was now behind the boulder Kion was standing on. She stopped for a moment to watch as the clouds above quickly formed to become one large mass. The Roar was ready to be used.

When Kion got himself into position, the hyenas took a step back in complete fear, ready to be blown back to their dismal homeland. But, when Kion had prepared himself to use the Roar, Janja, Chungu, and Cheezi saw the boulder underneath the cub move up and down. It was loose, balancing itself with the lion cub on it.

Janja glanced at Cheezi and Chungu and nodded at them, passing along a message to them by the simple movement of his head. Cheezi and Chungu understood their leader. They were immensely shocked and their facial expressions displayed how uneasy they were at their leader's plan, but they both knew that it had to be done.

At the moment Kion was about to amit the Roar of the Elders, Janja uttered, "Not this time", and he, Chungu, and Cheezi charged forward, worked their way under the boulder, and flipped it over. Kion realized what the hyenas had done but had no time to jump. All he could do was scream as he tumbled down the steep, rocky incline before landing on the ground with a hard thud and, all at once, the boulder fell onto his lower half.

Kion screeched in unbearable pain. The worst sensation of agony he felt came from his left leg. When the boulder fell onto his lower half, he heard something crack beneath the gigantic rock and felt his leg twist a little, being forced into an unnatural position. Kion had no doubt that he had been terribly injured.

Bunga, Beshte, and Ono hurried to their leader's aid.

"Kion, are you okay?!" Bunga asked frantically.

"No!" Kion howled in pain. "I can't move my left leg! I think it's broken!"

A look of total horror came upon the faces of Bunga, Beshte, and Ono. Beshte and Bunga immediately and carefully removed the boulder off of Kion. They both made sure that it was done slowly so they wouldn't hurt their good friend any further. Once the boulder was off the lion cub, Ono did a close examination on the injuries their leader had received.

"How bad is it, Ono?" Bunga inquired the egret.

"Bad's not the word for," Ono replied. "This is terrible. Kion has indeed broke, and maybe even dislocated, his left leg."

Bunga and Beshte's jaws dropped simultaneously. They could scarcely comprehend the harrowing event that had occurred before their eyes. A moment ago, Kion was ready to send the hyenas flying back to the Outlands by means of the powerful Roar of the Elders. But now, Kion laid on the ground in front of them with one of his legs unable to function. In all of their fights with the hyenas, this was the most devastating attack of all.

"But how could this have happened?!" Bunga questioned Beshte and Ono. "Everything was going so well! How could've Kion just toppled over like that?!"

Ono turned to Kion and inquired, "What happened up there, Kion?"

"I don't know," Kion responded, the pain was still evident in his voice. "The last thing I remember before I fell was that the hyenas were cowering from me. They knew that the Roar was coming, so they braced for it."

"You didn't see anything else?" Beshte asked.

"No," said Kion. "All that happened was the front of the boulder went up and then I tumbled down the rocks, and now my leg's broken."

"Let's not worry about how this happened until we got back to Pride Rock," Ono advised his friends. "Come on, let's get Kion out of here."

Bunga and Beshte were able to lift Kion up, but they quickly realized that it would be hard to carry the injured cub if it would be difficult for him to avoid falling off and getting more hurt- something like that, they feared, would end up leaving Kion fully disabled and unable to continue his role as leader of the Lion Guard.

Then it came to them of who was to carry Kion back to the Pride Lands. Bunga, Beshte, and Ono looked around for Fuli. She wasn't on the ground with them. It occurred to them that Fuli had joined Kion in climbing up the rock pile to fight Janja. They looked up at the rocks to see the young cheetah slowly and cautiously making her way down the rock-slide.

The three animals were glad to see her for only a second. When they analyzed the calamity in their heads, they came to the conclusion that it was not a natural occurrence; Kion's injuries were the result of thoughtless act, and it was shocking to believe that the animal responsible was one they all had been a dear friend to for a long time and could always trust no matter what.

As Fuli walked over to them, Bunga, Beshte, and Ono pretended to not appear or act furious by her presence. When she saw Kion, Fuli became concerned. "Is Kion okay?" she inquired.

"I'm afraid he broke his leg," Ono said flatly. "We need to get him to Pride Rock immediately."

"Shouldn't we take him to Rafiki?" Fuli asked, referring to the wise mandrill who knew all about healing wounded animals.

"Let's just take him to Pride Rock," Bunga grumbled as he lifted one of Kion's paws.

Fuli laid down so Bunga and Beshte could load Kion onto her back much more easily. The lame cub moaned as he was placed on the cheetah's back. Everyone pitied their leader as he continued to suffer the pain from his unfortunate injury. Listening to Kion's soft sobs was heartbreaking. It was going to be tough explaining everything to his parents, but they all were aware that Simba and Nala needed to understand what had happened to their son so they wouldn't get too worried that they would blame any of them for the incident.

As the group walked out of the gorge and in the direction of Pride Rock, the home of all the lions in the Pride Lands, Fuli silently pondered to herself. She had noticed that Bunga, Beshte, and Ono looked a bit angry when they saw her, and, when she would speak, their replies to her questions and statements were rather harsh and cold. Their actions were very strange for her, considering what their normal characteristics were and weren't.

What's wrong with Bunga, Beshte, and Ono? Fuli thought, occasionally glancing at the three animal ahead of her. Are they mad at me? What did I even do?


	2. Chapter 2

The sun was in its earliest stages of setting. It was not entirely setting according to the animals, but the colors of sky were slightly changing from light blue to a faint yellow. Some of the animals were able to see the change but didn't regard it as early sunset and, instead, continued to roam freely through the Pride Lands without any concern like the rest.

There was a brief moment, however, when the tranquility was shattered. A lot of animals, while they walked, rested, or performed their regular routines at the hour, caught a glimpse of the Lion Guard approaching Pride Rock. They were exhausted and a bit dirty; what caught everyone's attention the most of Fuli carrying their leader, Kion, on her back. Everyone noted how distressed he was, and how his left leg appeared to dangle as the cheetah ambled with the group towards the home of all the lions- most specifically, Kion's parents.

Simba and Nala spotted the Guard approaching them while they were still at a great distance. They were rather curious to see them and became worried when they noticed how weary they were. Their eyes caught the familiar face of their second cub and fear and panic struck the adult lions with a tremendous blow.

"KION!" Nala cried as she sprang forward and into a furious run towards the group.

Simba quickly followed his mate, scared of what could have happened to his son and how hurt he could be.

Fuli stopped when she saw Nala and Simba dashing towards her and Kion who moaned the words: "Mom. Dad."

"Oh, Kion! Oh, my poor Kion!" Nala sobbed as she nuzzled Kion.

"What happened?!" Simba demanded, swiftly turning his head towards each member of the Guard.

"The hyenas were about to attack, but we stopped them in the nick of time," Bunga explained. "We didn't know what Janja was doing, but he and the hyenas made a mad dash away from us; we didn't know what he was up to. They led us to a gorge where we fought most of them off, and that's when Kion fell."

"How did it happen?" Nala inquired with tears streaming from her eyes.

Bunga was ready to recount what had happened but Fuli spoke instead. "Janja tried to escape by climbing up a bunch of large rocks. Kion and I pursued him. Just when we were close to him, some of the rocks gave way and we fell. Ono said he might've broke his left leg."

Simba glanced at Kion and then to Bunga, Beshte, and Ono. "Did any of you see Janja push Kion?" he asked.

"All we saw was Kion fall and a big rock fall on top of him," Ono replied. "We're not sure if he was pushed off the rocks- there was nothing we heard that sounded like a struggle."

Simba sighed deeply. "Damn you, Janja!" he growled silently as he could. He lifted his head and made eye contact with Fuli. "Follow Nala to the den," he instructed her.

Fuli nodded and she and Nala walked towards Pride Rock.

Zazu, a hornbill who served as Simba's majordomo, flew down alongside the king. "What has happened to Kion?" he inquired.

"He's been injured," Simba told the hornbill. "Find Rafiki and tell him to come at once!"

"Absolutely, sire!" Zazu replied and instantly took flight again.

While Zazu went to find Rafiki and inform him of Kion's injuries, Simba and the rest of the Lion Guard waited for Fuli to return from Pride Rock. They knew that Nala would be staying behind to look after Kion. It was hard for any of them to imagine how sorrowful the lioness was and how much tears she was shedding. Bunga, Beshte, and Ono noticed that Simba was struggling to contain his anger as well as his sadness. The grief they already felt grew in intensity. At the same time, though, all three Lion Guard members felt rage on the inside, and their reason for their second emotion was Fuli.

Fuli appeared from Pride Rock and walked to her friends and Simba. They could make out the cheetah's dismal expression and how slow her movements were. While Simba could register how upset she was, Bunga, Beshte, and Ono regarded her appearance as a foolproof facade. When Ono told Simba that they didn't see or hear Kion being pushed off the top of the rocky incline, he and his friends were hiding a little fact they didn't want to be revealed to anyone.

Simba approached Fuli and she stopped and stood up straight. "Is Kion alright?" the lion asked.

"Nala helped him off my back," Fuli replied. "Aside from the slight pain, he's fine. Nala, however, is really upset."

"I figured she would," Simba sighed. "No one could feel anything else but sorrow after an incident like this. And Janja..." Fuli watched as the lion king's mood turned from sadness into rage. "...that demonic predator!" Simba growled through clenched teeth. "If I ever catch him in the Pride Lands again, I'll rip his neck open and tear his head off with my jaws!"

Fuli, even when she was afraid of how worse his anger would become, inched towards Simba and said, "Your highness, please don't get too enraged. I'm sure that Bunga, Beshte, Ono, and I will deliver your message to Janja and his crew as clear as you want it to be."

"No!" Simba replied with his paw slamming into the dirt. "I'm not going to allow you or your friends to end up like Kion!" He marched forward and, when he turned himself around, he glanced at all four members of the Guard to make sure they were listening. "Until Kion has fully recovered from his leg injury, I will be filling in as leader of the Lion Guard. The last thing anyone needs is another member to get severely hurt or be put temporarily out of service."

The four Lion Guard members nodded and voiced their acknowledgements.

"How long is it going to take until Kion's ready to lead us again?" Beshte inquired Simba.

"Rafiki will tell me, and then I will tell you," Simba responded. "For now, just go home and rest."

Once again, the young animals nodded and they left for home.

Bunga and Beshte walked away from Pride Rock together with Ono flying over them. Just like their journey to Pride Rock, they kept their distance from Fuli, who, just like the previous trip, was walking behind them. Fuli had no idea why her friends were mad at her. She did nothing that would cause them to instantly dislike her, and yet they were somehow.

Fuli was not reluctant to approach the trio ahead of her. She sprinted to them and asked, "Are you guys alright? You've been a bit moody lately."

Bunga and Beshte abruptly halted. Ono swooped down and perched himself on a small rock nearby. All three animals stared at Fuli with intense aversion. This unsettled Fuli greatly. "Why are you all staring at me like that?" she inquired.

"Good question," Bunga said flatly. "Now, how about we ask you something, Fuli."

"Ask me what?" Fuli asked nervously.

"It's simple really," Ono said in the same tone of Bunga's voice. "Why did you do it?"

"Do what?" Fuli asked again.

"Don't play dumb with us!" Bunga snarled. "We saw what you did back there! Don't deny it!"

Fuli's jaw hung open in disbelief. She tried to form words but she couldn't think properly.

"How can you even deny it?" Beshte said angrily. "You were the cause of it!"

"What?!" Fuli gasped. "Are you saying that Kion's injury is my fault?!"

"We saw it happen," Ono stated.

"You don't understand!" Fuli protested. "I was struggling to get up the rocks to help Kion! I didn't kick him off the edge! I did nothing!"

Neither Bunga, Beshte, or Ono's facial expressions changed. It was clear to Fuli that they weren't accepting her claim.

"You have to believe me!" Fuli pleaded. "I would never hurt Kion for any reason imaginable!"

"Oh, sure, we believe you," Bunga said, rolling his eyes.

"What did you even see back in the gorge?!" Fuli demanded.

"We saw what we saw," Beshte replied. "We don't have to repeat ourselves. You know all-too well what happened."

Fuli was in total disbelief. She couldn't find the right response to her friends' argument. Bewilderment and dismay collided to form one unbearable emotion. The cheetah didn't know whether to keep arguing that her innocence was pure or to just fall silent. She was completely unsure and scared.

Fuli then heard Bunga tell her: "You should think about everything you did today. Maybe then you'll understand why we hate you."

Bunga and Beshte marched away from Fuli with Ono flying along with them. The cheetah watched as the three animals continued on their separate journeys to their respective homes in the Pride Lands, the shapes of her friends gradually decreasing before her eyes. Eventually, Fuli turned herself around and sauntered away to clear her head.

But, as she steadily walked and thought about other things, Fuli began to question herself about the incident. "Did I really do something wrong?" she inquired herself. "Or are they just making it all up?"

Fuli had her side of the story: she had difficulty scrambling up the rocks and boulders that she fell behind, and, when she did reach the top, the rocks gave way and she and Kion tumbled down. The only problem was she didn't know at all if the boulder Kion was on slipped back when the rocks fell or Janja and the hyenas did indeed push him off. She hadn't the slightest thought of how it precisely ensued.

"What did they even see?" Fuli said, continuing to ponder why her friends had turned against her. "Like Ono said, they only saw Kion fall; they didn't see how it began. Why would they blame me for this? I mean, they could've seen the whole thing, with Kion falling and the boulders giving way and me trying to..."

Fuli ceased speaking as she instantly recollected her final action before the rock-slide. A moment before calamity struck, she had jumped up to try and grab onto a large boulder to hoist herself up to aid Kion in defeating Janja. Her heart rate slowly intensified at the realization. Even though she believed that her account was entirely accurate, the immediate appearance of a new memory not only threw Fuli off-guard, but it made her realize that what Bunga, Beshte, and Ono had told her was really a factual certainty.

"No," Fuli whispered. "Oh no; it's true! But how? I didn't...no, I did. I just didn't realize it until now, and it's too late to fix things. How can I fix this? Oh, what am I going to do?"

As she ambled through the grass trying to comprehend what she just learned, Fuli wrestled with the guilt and anger spreading throughout her body, making its way to her brain. She shook her head violently in hopes that the awful thoughts would simply fly out through her ears. Of course, it was useless, and Fuli was compelled to endure the dreadful awareness of her involvement in the event that left Kion unable to continue his duty of leader of the Lion Guard.

The wretched cheetah, plagued by shame and anguish, dreaded what the next day would have in store for her.


	3. Chapter 3

The sun rose up from the mountains far from the Pride Lands. It was the start of another day for everyone in every corner of the great savanna. Just like every other day since the beginning of the Pride Lands' history, every animal carried on with their normal routines without difficulty or threat from other animals. That was a major component to the serenity that hung over the Pride Lands for years; even in its darkest of times, it was there for comfort.

Fuli however did not sense the serenity at all when she woke up. She had endured a restless night and was practically unable to get through the entire night because of her sudden inability to sleep. Of course she got a little bit of sleep, but it was difficult for her to stay asleep with the guilt and perplexity tormenting her whenever the dreadful thoughts would pop up in her mind. When she woke up at sunrise, the poor cheetah was weary and a bit lazy since her limbs hardly responded to her when she tried to get up.

Even if she wanted to be up and about, Fuli was afraid of running into Bunga, Beshte, or Ono when she least expected it. She was aware that- of what was told her the other day -they were outraged by the unthinkable incident at the gorge. Fuli still couldn't comprehend the facts they presented to her. It was first hard for her to imagine that she was the cause of Kion's injury, but, after hearing her friends' statement and a moment of recollecting the events from her perspective, she had to accept that it was her fault, no matter how many times she would protest the idea or argue with the others.

The fear Fuli felt added a strong sensation that affected her morning laziness with great intensity and she didn't bother to try and get up again. She was afraid of what Bunga, Beshte, and Ono would say or do to her when they would next met. She couldn't imagine the amount of fury they would be in when they would see her coming towards them. They would most likely glare at her in disgust and would take every opportunity they could get to scorn her for being the cause of their leader's unfortunate injury. If they did something entirely different to her than what she already knew, the torture that might be waiting for her would be much worse than any animal could ever endure.

What petrified Fuli the most was a question that kept repeating itself in her mind: what if Bunga, Beshte, and Ono told Simba about her involvement in the incident? Being confronted by Kion's father was bad enough, but the fact that Simba was the King of the Pride Lands made the thought even more frightening. Fuli remembered the lion's vow to seek revenge on the animal responsible for his son's injury. Because of the history between them and the Outlanders, Simba assumed that Janja was at fault, and he vowed to kill the hyena if he ever saw him in the Pride Lands again. She feared how the lion would react when he learned that she caused a massive boulder to fall on Kion, breaking his left leg. From the moment she was told she was the reason for the lion cub's agony, she knew that the consequences would be more severe than any punishment a young child would ever receive.

As the sun continued to rise into the sky and illuminated the Pride Lands, Fuli envisioned what would happen if Simba found out that it was her who caused Kion's injury. She wasn't entirely sure if what she pictured in her mind would actually happen, nonetheless, it scared her. She imagined the terrifying face of a furious Simba staring down at her as he berated her in a voice that symbolized pure fury. All around her were incensed lionesses, including Kion's mother Nala; they all had the exact facial expression as Simba and were ready to pounce upon her at any moment. Bunga, Beshte, and Ono were standing by Simba, looking at her with diabolical grins, clearly conceited with their deed of informing the King of the truth. Kion was nowhere to be seen in her vision, but Fuli didn't bother to imagine his reaction because the response of everyone else would be more vehement.

At the moment when her nightmare would reach a high level of intensity, a streak of sunlight hit Fuli's green eyes and she shielded the light with one of her paws. As she waited for her eyes to recover from the sudden flash of light, the cheetah tried to clear her head of the ghastly prediction she has envisioned. Just like how tough it was for her to get through the night, the terrible thoughts of what horror would await her in the future were impossible to get rid of- the forceful removal of the awful prediction was just as strenuous as her struggle to sleep the previous night.

Eventually, Fuli gave up trying to think positive thoughts. The guilt that was born from the incident at the gorge and had spread throughout her body during the night was effecting her like the most potent and toxic venom imaginable. While her limbs still refused to move when she attempted once more to stand up, it was her intellect that was affected the most. The remorse she felt was too much to handle. Because of the intensity of it, Fuli could think of nothing but how stupid climbing up a boulder is and how her course of action affected the Lion Guard and Kion. She cringed as a twinge of penitence ran down her spine when she thought of how much pain Kion was in as she thought about him. She had heard his cry of pain when the boulder smashed on top of him, and the guilt increased as the heart-wrenching scream echoed in her ears.

Staying far away and hidden from Bunga, Beshte, and Ono had become Fuli's greatest desire in a short amount of time. The idea sounded both extreme and ridiculous but Fuli was willing to go with it if she had no other choice. She wanted to run away forever at one point; there was however a fact that stood in her way: she was still a member of the Lion Guard and, if she ran away, Simba would have ordered a search party to go out and find her. It also came to mind that if she did run away, Bunga, Beshte, and Ono might tell the lion king why and he would know then. There was no need to debate about what was right and what was wrong. It was clear what was to be done to keep the truth hidden from everyone.

With a deep breath, Fuli slowly and lazily got up onto her feet. Considering that she hardly slept the previous night and her first emotions that morning were negative, it took her a lot of energy to get up off the ground. Even when she did want to stay out of sight, the cheetah was more determined to keep the truth of the incident concealed from Simba or anyone who was known to gossip.

As she plodded her way across the Pride Lands, Fuli worried about what Bunga, Beshte, and Ono were going to do or say to her when she would join them for morning patrol. Would they taunt her? Would they torment her with childish tactics? It was a mystery, and it would only be solved when she met up with them.

"No matter what they do, I have to brave on," Fuli told herself. "I can't let anyone know about this."

It was going to be immensely difficult for her to hide the truth from anyone, and her vow to do everything possible to keep it hidden meant that the time of Kion's absence would be tough in both the sense of keeping the Pride Lands safe and making sure that Bunga, Beshte, and Ono didn't tell anyone about her role in the small disaster. Fuli was well aware that things were going to get more strict than ever- especially since the stakes that the others were bound to boss her around and make her do everything and anything to make her feel sorry for what she had done were very high -but she also knew that she had to endure it no matter how abominable things would get.

As she made her way to Pride Rock, Fuli would often pass by a group of conversing animals. Every animal she would pass, including elephants, zebra, antelope, and giraffes, were talking about Kion. All conversations she heard were filled with concern over the condition of the lion cub and disgust on how someone could do such a thing. The fact that they all placed the blame on Janja assured Fuli that Bunga, Beshte, and Ono had told no one the truth. Still, she was afraid of how everyone would react when it was made known that she had loosened the boulder that fell onto Kion and broke his leg. The animals around her weren't talking about the incident to add strength to the guilt the cheetah was plagued with, but, in her opinion, it was like they already knew.

Fuli was soon walking on the dirt trail close to the rocky incline that led to the top of Pride Rock. She started up only to be stopped by her fear of what was about to happen. The apprehension of something appalling was extremely high and it strangled Fuli with intense strength. Just like how the anxiety made her limbs unresponsive early that morning, she quickly became petrified and her legs ceased moving. Fuli hesitated whether to try and press on toward the Lair of the Lion Guard. Of course she wanted to turn around and walk away, but, because of her duty as a Lion Guard member and the importance of the situation between her and the other Guard members, it was completely evident that she had to go and meet up with the rest of the Lion Guard.

The cheetah poked her head into the spacious cave. Sure enough, there was Bunga, Beshte, and Ono standing in a group near the end of the cave. The angry trio made eye contact with Fuli who slowly stepped inside. As she inched closer to the group, not one of the animals broke eye contact with each other. The stares Fuli got from her friends (who had now become her oppressors) made her exceedingly anxious about the torment which was now seconds away.

Fuli wanted to say something but, with a majority of her courage lost, she was unable to form any words. She instead lowered her head and her eyes made contact with the ground.

From what they could see, Fuli looked totally regretful. While it pleased them to know that she understood the severity of the calamity at the gorge, neither Bunga, Beshte, or Ono believed that the cheetah was being sincere. There was only one thing that would prove how sorry she was, and they wanted to make sure that it would happen.

"Listen up, Fuli," Bunga began, causing Fuli to lift up her head to look at him; "and you better listen to us! What happened yesterday was completely despicable! Do you have any idea how much damage you caused?! Do you?!"

The honey badger was joined by the hippo and the egret who were just as irate as he was. Fuli winced from the small outcry of the three animals in front of her. Her desire to flee returned more intense than before, however the need to keep the secret hidden was more dominant. As such, she resisted and remained where she stood; she also nodded and replied Bunga with a timid "Yes."

"So why do you do it?!" Ono demanded.

"I was trying to help Kion defeat the hyenas!" Fuli cried.

"But instead you broke Kion's leg and allowed them to get away!" Beshte bellowed.

Fuli cowered instantly. She then heard Beshte mutter, "Unbelievable."

"Is there anything at all you have to say for yourself?" Ono asked.

"I'm sorry," Fuli replied in a quiet voice.

Bunga, Beshte, and Ono glanced at each other and then back at Fuli. They felt a good amount of satisfaction upon hearing those words. In spite of that, they were not fully convinced that Fuli's apology was genuine. What they had in mind would ultimately confirm it.

"So you are," Bunga said. "But here's a good question: are you?"

Fuli gazed at Bunga clearly scared and confused. "I am," she replied.

"Well, you don't sound convincing at all," Beshte snorted.

"In order for us to fully forgive you," Ono told Fuli; "you have to give a full, sincere apology for your reprehensible actions at the gorge."

For a moment, Fuli had thought that they would order her to perform a task both humiliating and ridiculous. She was surprised and relieved that what they wanted from her was so simple but impactful. Not to mention, it would be a task that required the strength from her heart and nothing else.

Taking a deep breath, Fuli began her apology. "Guys, what happened yesterday was horrendous, and I take full responsibility for my actions. It's still hard for me to accept the fact that this is all my fault, but I hope that-"

Fuli was interrupted by Bunga who said, "Not to us!"

"What do you mean?" Fuli inquired.

"I guess I forgot to add the last part," Ono said. "If you want us to forgive you, you have to apologize to the animal who truly deserves it."

Fuli was a bit puzzled. "Who?" she asked.

"You tell us," Beshte retorted.

It hit Fuli almost instantly. "Kion?" she asked.

"Yes," Bunga, Beshte, and Ono replied in unison.

Panic crashed into Fuli like a giant wave of water. She felt comfortable in telling Bunga, Beshte, and Ono she was sorry for what she had done, but apologizing to Kion, the victim of her sinful action, was entirely different. She knew that he would still be in severe pain and very choleric because of the shock from the previous day. What would his reaction be when she would visit him to apologize? Would he be silent? Would he be consumed by rage? Fuli didn't know, and she didn't want to.

Fuli was silent for a moment, and, when she was able to speak, she said, "I...I can't."

"Yes you can," Bunga replied in an annoyed tone. "You have to!"

"There is no other way," Ono stated. "You will tell Kion what you did and how sorry you are to have done it!"

"But I...I," Fuli searched for words but nothing came up. As a result, she fell silent once more.

Fuli expected Bunga, Beshte, and Ono to continue taunting her, but a familiar voice from outside the cave made them look in the same direction. A moment later, Simba entered the lair with a solemn expression on his face. Even though he appeared as he always did, the four Lion Guard members could make out that the lion was also a little upset. They knew that he had news about Kion and wouldn't be pleasant to hear.

Bunga, Beshte, Fuli, and Ono stood up straight and said, "Good morning, your highness."

"Good morning, Lion Guard," Simba replied; the sadness was evident in his voice. "I can tell that you are all worried about Kion and I don't blame you. As you probably know, I had Rafiki come here and examined his leg. He bandaged it but the damage is quite severe."

"Isn't it just broken?" Bunga inquired.

"It is," Simba said. "It's nothing too serious but Kion will need to stay at Pride Rock until his leg is healed."

"How long will it take?" Beshte asked.

"Rafiki said, as long the injury isn't disturbed any further," Simba explained; "Kion will be able to walk again in either forty-two or fifty-six sunsets."

The four young animals before him were in utter shock. They hoped that Kion would recover in about seven sunsets. Forty-two and fifty-six sunsets sounded like forever; and the thought that Kion would have to stay home motionless so his leg could heal was something out of a nightmare.

"I understand that it's going to be a long time before Kion can resume his Lion Guard duties," Simba told the Guard members; "and it will be hard for us to defend the Pride Lands without the Roar of the Elders. However, until Kion has fully recovered from his leg injury, I will be taking his place for the time being."

Bunga stepped forward and asked, "Is Kion okay at least?"

"He's in a little bit of pain but it's not total agony," Simba replied.

"How sad was Kiara?" Ono asked.

"She was horrified," Simba sighed. "She questioned me about what happened and I told her all I could. Nevertheless she was in tears just like her mother. None of us can comprehend our son's condition." The lion's voice suddenly lowered and he appeared to snarl his next statement. "And Janja, that savage demon, that damned hyena did this! He and his clan will pay for this with their own blood!"

Simba emitted an impassioned roar before falling silent. Bunga, Beshte, and Ono were terror-stricken for one brief moment but Fuli was immensely scared. She was glad that Simba believed that Janja was responsible for Kion's injury, however, upon hearing the lion's vow to avenge his son's distress, the cheetah was once again devoured by guilt and dread. She feared that Simba would tear her to shreds when he would find out she was responsible for the appalling occurrence at the gorge.

Bunga then spoke to Simba, saying, "Your highness, believe me, we all want him to pay for doing something that cruel to Kion. I guess that you're taking over as leader of the Lion Guard just so you can get revenge; is that true?"

"Perhaps so," Simba responded. "The time will come when Janja and his vicious army of hyenas will be vanquished forever; it won't be now, but it will be one day. For now, though, let's begin on our morning patrol."

Bunga, Beshte, and Ono nodded and followed their temporary leader out of the lair. Fuli trailed behind them at a distance; the severe uneasiness that had attached to her that morning compelled her to do so. She tried her best to look and act normal, but she couldn't help but frown and walk at a slower pace, which made her pick up the pace to keep behind the rest of the Guard.

It wasn't long until Simba noticed her bizarre behavior. "Fuli, is something wrong?" he asked the cheetah.

"No, nothing's wrong, your highness," Fuli replied, attempting to sound normal. "Everything's alright with me."

Simba raised an eyebrow, obviously not convinced. "Are you sure?" he questioned. "You seem a bit tense."

"Me? Tense? About what?" Fuli said; she wasn't trying to mock Simba, she was trying to act like she didn't know what he was talking about.

This only made Simba more concerned. "Fuli, you know that if there's anything troubling you, you know to come talk to someone about it; right?" he said.

Fuli nodded.

"Just keep that in mind," Simba told her. "I don't want you to be in the Lion Guard feeling like you're meaningless."

Simba walked ahead, leaving Fuli with a feeling both nasty and unnerving throbbing inside her. It was nice that someone was willing to listen to her in her time of distress but, simultaneously, she recognized it as a weak stone that could give way and expose the truth about the incident and how it was all her fault. Fuli was hit with more anxiety and her limbs went stiff again. Even though, at the back of her mind, she wanted to stay and let them go on without her, she knew that they would come looking for her and Simba would ask her again if something was bugging her. Not willing to let fear get the best of her, the cheetah pressed on.

I must be strong, Fuli thought as she followed Simba and the Lion Guard. I must be smart. I must be brave. I must be myself and nothing more. I can't let anyone know.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I just want to advise everyone that the poll on my Profile page (about my previous "Lion King" story " _Error in Judgement_ ") will be closing soon. If you've read the story and haven't done so, please take the poll. If you already did so, don't worry about it. The poll will close at the end of the month (August 31), so the deadline is the day before. If you did all that, stay turned for the next chapter.


	4. Chapter 4

Two days had gone by and Fuli had indeed kept her word. She made sure that she had the same physical and mental appearance every day. This meant that her composure had to be a mixture of boldness, confidence, and, most importantly, fearlessness- fear, she was convinced, would ultimately allow the horrible secret to be released. The fear of whom the secret who would be released to made up the majority of the main fear, and that was enough to make Fuli afraid for her life as it did when Bunga, Beshte, and Ono stated that Kion's broken leg was her own doing.

Since that horrendous day, the young cheetah was plagued by intense guilt. The past three days had been similar in every way imaginable. What Fuli herself considered the most pronounced fact about her current condition was that dread had practically overruled the rest of her emotions. No matter how much she tried to conceal it, especially to the point where she was mentally straining herself, the sense of shame would always find a way to show itself by altering her moods, voice, and expressions.

Fuli thought of the remorse as a disease meant to relentlessly torment her. She didn't think of it as if to say it was exasperating. How could someone feel guilty of committing harm to a close friend and call the emotion annoying? Fuli was certainly not that type and comprehended the guilt. She also knew the cure for her suffering. After all, Bunga, Beshte, and Ono had told it to her themselves; and she had often heard the old, wise animals of the Pride Lands tell their grandchildren that honesty was one of the most important elements to have in a relationship, whether with friends, family, or their future companions.

Fuli had debated time and time again if she should do the right thing and own up for her role in the incident. Imagining what Kion's reaction would be was already enough to scare the cheetah. Possessing the knowledge of what the lame lion cub would do next was even more terrifying. King Simba was Kion's father, and he was just as furious as he was upset the day his son was brought to Pride Rock with multiple bruises and a broken leg. Fuli couldn't shake the image of the apoplectic lion out of her mind; his immoral pledge to make the villain responsible suffer the consequences of their deed constantly repeated itself in her head whenever it got the chance.

The sorrowful cheetah was aware of how regretful she had become since the event at the gorge, how much the guilt had changed her mentality so far, and of course how she could end it without adding more unnecessary emotions and events that would affect her even more. Unfortunately, Fuli realized that it wasn't going to be as easy as anyone could anticipate it to be. In fact, she fully realized how critical her fate would be, and how everyone and everything she knew all her life would be affected.

It was awful for Fuli to continue debating on what solution was right and which one was wrong. Anyone could tell her that the best option was to go and apologize to Kion. He would be mad but, if she used the proper amount of words and repentance, perhaps he would forgive her. If it was true, then why was Fuli (seemingly) hesitating to decide on what her course of action should be? Only one word in all of the world would answer that particular question and it was such a word that anyone would fear in an instant.

Exile.

From the moment Fuli had carried an injured Kion on her back to his home at Pride Rock, she became acquainted with the fact that the rock-slide was more than an appalling event that occurred by small flaws- it was a repulsive crime against the Royal Family. She had no intention of committing any crime whether it was tame like stealing or serious like murder, but then this happened and she was dubbed responsible by Bunga, Beshte, and Ono, the three main witnesses to the event.

The cheetah's heart rate slowly increased as she imagined her short trial in her sleep. Her dream was much like the vision she had days before. She was surrounded by livid lionesses who bared their teeth and stared at her with hatred and disgust. Bunga, Beshte, and Ono were standing alongside an enraged Simba, looking down on her with wicked smiles, completely happy that she was doomed to leave the Pride Lands and never return. At the exact moment Simba declared that she was banished from the Pride Lands, all of the lionesses closed in on her and all she could do was cower and fear for her life.

Fuli simultaneously yelped and woke up from her nightmare. As she quietly took deep breaths, she glanced around to see if anyone had heard her scream. To her relief, there wasn't another animal in sight. It was quite easy for Fuli to see that as the sun had just risen. All around there was nothing but the trees, bushes, rocks, and flowers that made up the beauty of the Pride Lands and the harmony of the gentle wind. The chill of the tender breeze made Fuli feel better as it smoothly glided over her fur.

After a short time of standing and taking in the coolness of the morning breeze, Fuli decided to immediately start her day. She stretched her limbs and back before strolling toward the open savanna. Her morning routine was fairly simple: hunt an animal for her breakfast and then report to the Lair of the Lion Guard. Usually her routine was uncomplicated and she could succeed without encountering any small dilemma other than a long chase. However, along with the changes in her behavior and attitude, Fuli noted that the guilt had a strong effect on her willingness to use energy as well. It was especially the case that morning as she struggled to catch up with a running impala. As any other cheetah would usually do, Fuli would dash after her prey at incredible speed. In the days after the incident however, her running speed slowly decreased and, whenever she tried to run at her top speed, she would be forced to stop as it felt like her heart was about to burst.

The sudden loss of energy had perturbed Fuli when it first happened. It wasn't that it was entirely odd for a cheetah to lose their willingness to sprint at what she thought of as "lightning" speed; it was that this new problem she had was sure to have a more terrible impact on her considering the circumstances of her current situation. She was more than a young cheetah, she was the fastest member of the Lion Guard; and if Simba noticed that she was no longer active as she used to be, he would become suspicious and inquiry her about it; then she would have to make up a lie, and Fuli thought that one of the worst things she could do at this time was lie to the King. She feared that when the truth would finally be exposed, she would be regarded as an animal equally vile and dishonorable.

After regaining her normal heartbeat again by enduring a prolonged exercise of breathing, Fuli considered skipping breakfast and heading straight for Pride Rock to report for her Lion Guard duties. Yet she was well aware that her occupation required her to have lots of energy, and the only way an animal was to obtain energy was to eat. If she couldn't catch a gazelle or a zebra, what other option was there?

Fuli had heard the story of Simba's past hundreds of times. She had heard about how far he had traveled, where he lived during Scar's reign, and exactly how he survived for so many years. The idea of eating insects (or as Simba and his friends, Timon and Pumbaa, referred to them as "grubs") was certainly nauseating, but somehow the lion did eat them as there wouldn't be any other animal in a jungle like a zebra or antelope, and of course there was Bunga who was always seen eating grubs. Fuli wondered if they were nourishing or they tasted just as revolting as their appearances were scary. But the image and thought of eating something like a beetle or a colony of termites ultimately made her cringe.

After the sense of disgust subsided, Fuli decided that it was best if she skipped breakfast. Even though such a thing was deviant, the cheetah had no choice if she was unable to hunt that morning. Besides, Fuli thought; it's only for today. I'm sure that I'll be running and hunting as I usually would tomorrow.

Deep down in the pit of her heart though, Fuli wasn't sure if that would be the case.

As Fuli ambled toward Pride Rock, she felt as if someone was silently following her. Its presence most likely originated from the unnatural stillness of the desolate savanna. This still unsettled Fuli and she thought that it was either Bunga or Beshte who was stalking her. After briefly hesitating, the cheetah swiftly and courageously spun around to find no one behind her. For a moment, she felt stupid for thinking that someone was following her to Pride Rock, but that didn't stop her from becoming afraid of what was yet to happen when she would meet up with Bunga, Beshte, and Ono for morning patrol.

Fuli took a deep breath before turned herself around and resumed walking to her destination.

When she was about halfway to Pride Rock, the sensation of being followed returned with a vengeance. Fuli doubted at first that she was being pursued by another animal who was trying his or her best to be as quiet as the land around them. Then she considered the possibility of Bunga, Beshte, and Ono silently trailing behind her, ready to pelt her with every taunt that came to mind. Once again, Fuli paused to summon as much courage as she could and then turned around.

At first she saw no one. Fuli thought that her mind was just playing tricks on her to increase the guilt and compel her to give in to the demand of her former friends. But then, she heard the sound of someone's feet hitting the ground off to her left. Fuli turned her head into the direction of the noise to see Bunga, Beshte, and Ono approaching her. The infuriated stares they wore caused Fuli to quiver a little as she feared what they were going to say or do when they would get close to her.

The trio was quiet as they marched up to the cheetah and their silence continued as they stood and stared at her. Fuli wanted to say something but nothing came to mind. She knew that they weren't going to be nice to her until she apologized to Kion, so there was no real point in talking to them. She just kept her head down and her eyes closed.

"Still silent, are we?" Bunga asked Fuli in an angry, mocking voice.

Fuli did not reply, she remained quiet. Only this time though, she looked away from the group.

"She must be trying to set a world record," Ono said mockingly.

"Make that two if you count hiding a secret," Beshte said to Ono.

Fuli wanted to say something to get them to stop harassing her with insults, but she knew that her desire would spawn more slurs and it would add more weight to the already heavy rock of shame she was carrying on her shoulders. As such, she kept her mouth closed and her eyes focused on the flowers in the distance.

Bunga marched up to Fuli and grabbed her left arm. "Excuse me," he said. "I asked you a question. It's rude to not answer somebody when they ask you a question."

Fuli resisted the urge to look at the honey badger and Bunga felt her arm shudder as if it tried to free itself from his grip. He squeezed the cheetah's arm as he growled, "Fuli, look at me!"

At last, Fuli couldn't continue pretending. She slowly turned her head to face Bunga; the way she pivoted her head made it seem like she was in a great amount of pain moving it. Bunga disapproved of this as did Beshte and Ono, and, when Fuli's green eyes made contact with his dark blue eyes, he said, "Don't act like a baby! Throwing a tantrum won't do anything but make you look stupid!"

Fuli lowered her ears and sighed.

"Seriously, Fuli, why don't you just go and tell Kion you're sorry?" Beshte asked. "Don't you care about him?"

"Yeah, if you care about Kion as much as we do, you would go and apologize!" Ono added. "But do you? No, you think that the best thing to do is to wait until the whole thing blows over and Kion's back on his feet again!"

Fuli cringed yet again as multiple pangs of regret shot up her spine. All the taunts she was receiving were unrelentingly gnawing at her. It was too much for the cheetah and she could feel tears rising to the base of her eyes.

"What's the matter, Fuli?" Bunga inquired mockingly. "Are you afraid of doing the right thing? You know, if it's bugging you so much, you would go up Pride Rock, walk straight up to Kion, and tell him that you are sorry for breaking his leg!"

Fuli finally found words. "I can't, Bunga!" she cried. "I just can't!"

Bunga, Beshte, and Ono groaned loudly as Fuli wiped away the tears from her eyes.

"Is that always going to be your answer whenever we ask you if you said sorry?!" Ono questioned with pure anger.

"You should know better than that!" Beshte said in the same amount of rage as the egret.

"We all speak the truth, Fuli!" Bunga snarled. "So stop crying and act like someone your age! You're just making excuses and it's not helping anyone!"

Fuli felt a small amount of anger within her, but it was instantly overpowered by anguish. She was actually glad that she didn't become enraged because she didn't want to spark a violent argument between her and her oppressors.

"If Simba were to see you right now," Bunga continued; "he'd be so disappointed in you! Why, just the thought that a member of the Lion Guard being weak and childish is totally-"

"Bunga, please don't say that!" Fuli pleaded. "I don't want Simba to see me!"

"Why not?" Bunga asked with a raised eyebrow.

There was no response from Fuli. Bunga glanced at Beshte and Ono and then back to the cheetah. The honey badger pondered for a moment before he was struck with the answer. "Oh I get it," Bunga said to Fuli. "You're afraid that Simba will kick you out of the Lion Guard, aren't ya?"

Even though that was only half of the reason why she was scared of Simba, Fuli went along with Bunga's assumption and sadly nodded.

"You know, Simba would probably understand how sorry you are if you would go and tell him that," Ono told Fuli in a stern voice. "He would perhaps allow you to continue being part of the Lion Guard. It would also mean a lot not only to us but to him if you would also say sorry to Kion."

While he was just as mad as Bunga and Beshte, Ono sounded like he was providing Fuli with good advice; but her guilt-afflicted intellect could not determine if what they had suggested her with the right course of action for her to follow or it was a tactic to get rid of her. Fuli was most certain that neither Bunga, Beshte, or Ono knew that she was afraid of being exiled, but she believed that they were attempting to deceive her and force her to admit her atrocious deed to both Kion and Simba.

"But...Simba..." Fuli stammered. "He'd be..."

"Of course he would be angry!" Beshte yelled. "His son Kion has a broken leg! We're at least thankful the boulder didn't kill him! Still though, there's no point in keeping quiet!"

Fuli tried to search for words but none of the sounds that came out of her mouth did not form words of any kind.

"You have to come clean, Fuli," said Ono. "It's the only way to get rid of the guilt!"

"But I can't!" Fuli sobbed. "Simba would never forgive me!"

"Have you heard nothing I said?!" Ono roared. "If you go and apologize, Simba might find it in his heart to accept it!"

"How do I know you're lying?!" Fuli screamed.

Just like how she wouldn't reply to her ex-friends' questions, Fuli was answered with complete silence. Bunga, Beshte, and Ono glared at her with immense displeasure; the sense of antipathy was visible in the twinkle of their eyes. More remorse fell upon Fuli and she felt inclined to apologize for raising her voice. Before she could however, Beshte spoke. "I think we should just stop," he said in a low voice. "There's no way Fuli's going to apologize. She's too stubborn."

Fuli's body shivered on hearing the hippo's statement.

Then Bunga spoke in the same volume. "She's also paranoid and immature."

Fuli detested the words that the others used to describe her. Because she wanted to stay clear of yet another argument, she didn't say a word in response. The cheetah appeared to take the words badly and somehow manage to stay still, but, on the inside, she struggled to keep herself quiet and to prevent anymore tears from falling from her eyes.

After Bunga took his turn of speaking, Ono stared at Fuli with narrow eyes and told his companions: "I won't make a list of what correct words describe Fuli, but I've heard and seen enough to say this: Fuli is more than a stubborn baby, she's a coward."

Fuli was instantly crushed. Fearing that she was doomed to leave the Pride Lands forever was already horrendous enough. Being labeled a coward by the animals she once had a wonderful relationship with added so much emotional weight onto her that she was on the verge of crying hysterically and sprinting away from her bullies. Fuli desired to run away but forced herself not too, for it was clear that if she did just that, Bunga, Beshte, and Ono would tell Simba the truth and he would order everyone to hunt her down and bring her to trial, which would end in her banishment from the Pride Lands.

The notion of exile expanded as Fuli asked herself what would happen after she was declared an outcast. Her new home would of course be the Outlands, but how would the hyenas treat her? Would Janja make her his slave and force her to do grueling tasks everyday for the rest of her life? Would he make her a soldier and force her to fight against the Lion Guard? Both predictions were logical and they were also unethical in Fuli's opinion. The cheetah could use the word "unethical" to describe the insults the other Lion Guard members were throwing at her- she would also have the right word to characterize their actions if the situation would reach that stage, which she prayed wouldn't happen. But how would that be achieved without everything spiraling out of control? Was there even any other way out of her dilemma? Fuli was unsure.

Beshte broke the silence saying, "Well said, Ono. Let's get moving. Simba's probably wondering where we are."

"Yeah, let's get a move on before he comes looking for us," Bunga replied in agreement.

Bunga and Beshte started walking toward Pride Rock while Ono rode on top of Beshte's head. Fuli didn't follow them; she didn't even bother to get up. The guilt had reached a magnitude that was impossible to ignore. It had a firm hold of her brain and seemed to have full control of her entire body.

For a while, someone would believe that Fuli would remain where she sat, however, her statue-like stillness came to end when Bunga yelled at her. "FULI, LET'S GO!" he furiously called out to the cheetah.

Fuli snapped out of her shell of shame and quickly caught up with the trio, but she kept a distance between them. If anything, she didn't want anything else bad to happen, especially if Simba just so happened to be close by.

Keep quiet or be banished to the Outlands. Those were Fuli's options. She loved Kion just as his parents and she wished that she could go and talk to him without feeling so scared of what could become of her, but she knew what was bound to happen if she revealed her actions to the lion cub.

In the end, Fuli decided to carry on keeping the secret concealed from the lions. She also decided that if her fellow Lion Guard members reported her to King Simba, she would flee the Pride Lands before anyone would notice she was gone.

Fuli told herself: "If they're going to find pleasure in forcing me out of their lives, I'll make sure they won't have anything to laugh about!"


	5. Chapter 5

It had been six days since the incident at the gorge that left Kion with a broken leg. The poor lion cub spent day and night laying on his stomach with nothing to do but wait for his left leg, which was bandaged with leaves and small vines, to heal. Nala stayed at Pride Rock to look after her lame son and assist him whenever he needed help. When Simba wasn't on duty as temporary leader of the Lion Guard, he would accompany his mate and help out as much as possible. If both parents were unable to look after Kion for any given reason, their eldest cub Kiara would agree to keep an eye on her injured brother; and if Kiara couldn't watch Kion, one or two lionesses would.

Everyone in the pride was undeniably distraught about Kion, but deep down they all had a similar burning revulsion against the hyenas- a sense of hate just as powerful as when Scar ruled the Pride Lands and nearly starved them all to death. They all desired to hunt Janja down and kill him, but Simba made it clear to every lioness that he would take care of the hyenas permanently, and, if it was necessary, he would allow others to join him in the ultimate act of revenge.

While that day was yet to come, peace was in the Pride Lands once again. There had been a heavy rainfall that morning and mud was practically everywhere; nonetheless, the serenity was present and sensed by all- with the exception of Fuli, Bunga, Beshte, and Ono.

Fuli's intense dread came to her and established itself after she was told by the other Lion Guard members that she was the cause of the mission's failure and Kion's injury. She passionately denied the accusations at first but, after recollecting the moments before the rock-slide, she realised that she had indeed caused the incident, even though it was difficult for her to comprehend it. The same animals who accused her ordered her to apologize to Kion but she refused in fear of punishment. It was then that the guilt commenced weakening her willpower and she started losing the energy to run as fast as she usually would, and the interest to do so soon followed. This not only affected her Lion Guard duties but her normal routines as well. Now unable to catch up to her usual prey, Fuli was now forced to find a more suitable source of food, and the only other option she could think of was grubs.

Bunga, Beshte, and Ono were aware that Fuli had acknowledged the fact that Kion's broken leg was her own doing, but they were disappointed that she had not journeyed to Pride Rock and completely acknowledged her wrong actions. Because of how many days had gone by and that Fuli was not cooperating with them, the three animals were getting more and more ill-tempered. Their scornful words were made to persuade the cheetah that keeping her mouth shut was going to make the situation worse for her and her only; but no matter how harsh their words were, the guilty cheetah would not give in, and this was irritating the honey badger, hippo, and egret enormously.

Regardless of the trio's abhorrence of Fuli's current behavior, all four young animals had one distinct thing in common: not one of them wanted Simba to be aware of the conflict they were engaged in. Bunga, Beshte, and Ono did tell Fuli constantly that the lion king would be furious with her if he were to learn of what she had done to his son, but they had also told her repeatedly that his anger would probably be toned down if she apologized to both him and Kion. Of course, the four Lion Guard members knew that Simba and the pride desired to have Janja and his diabolic clan slain, so there was at least another reason why Fuli refused to give in to their demand aside from the nightmarish fury of the lions. In spite of that fact, Bunga, Beshte, and Ono continued to follow their belief that Fuli's demons would be put to rest once she said sorry to Kion, and the cheetah's repeated turndowns were about as helpful as repairing a broken tree branch with a wet leaf; and with the presence of a severe exasperation, things were certainly going to end in a very unfavorable manner.

Simba and the Lion Guard were busy marching through the Pride Lands, always on the lookout for anyone in distress or any hyena who dared step out of their territory, especially after the appalling event that occurred six days ago. The four animals sauntered while the lion ahead of them walked in a manner that doubtlessly defined his current mood. Fuli, Bunga, Beshte, and Ono were focused on their normal Lion Guard duties but Simba was more determined in tracking down and viciously murdering Janja for nearly killing his son. Everyone was aware of the king's yearning for retribution, and they wanted it just as much since Kion was a good friend to every Pride Lander young and old. The thought that someone could purposefully use a giant boulder to crush- if not kill -a well-respected, valiant lion cub was abominable in every aspect. Apart from four specific animals, revenge on the hyenas was wanted by the entire population of the Pride Lands.

The Lion Guard made their way past the watering hole where several gazelle and a couple of antelope were taking a drink. It wasn't as hot as it was on the day of Kion's injury; in fact the temperature was at a notably tolerable degree, a fact the animals were grateful for so the watering hole wouldn't be too crowded that day. Mud was everywhere and the Guard stepped in it as they marched on by the animals. Each step they took made a weird squishing sound and, because of how distinctly thick the mud was, the five members had to yank their feet out with great force. This was making Fuli, Bunga, and Beshte exceedingly vexed, and also increased the anger within Simba, who began mumbling to himself as he pressed on with the rest of the Guard behind him.

Eventually, Simba had enough. "Alright, Lion Guard, halt!" he ordered, stomping his feet on dry ground.

Fuli, Bunga, and Beshte complied.

Ono, who was riding on Beshte's head, asked, "What's the matter, your highness?"

"It's all this mud on the ground!" Simba complained. "It's making it difficult to continue morning patrol!"

"Not to be rude or anything because of the mud," said Beshte; "but we have been through this dozens of times before. It's incredible hard, I know that for sure, but we still have to continue our duties."

"You're right," Simba responded in a low voice. "We have to carry on, no matter what."

Bunga rushed up to Simba before he could proceed walking. "You're highness, if I may ask you something," he said; "are you still furious of what happened not too long ago?"

"Of course I am, Bunga!" Simba replied in what sounded like a roar. "What happened to Kion was the most atrocious thing those hyenas have ever done! Not only could they have killed Kion, but you, Ono, Fuli, or Beshte could've been injured as well! I don't know why this had to happen but I'll make sure that Janja and his gang understands how much pain we're all in, by tearing all their legs off!"

Bunga was shaken by the volume of Simba's voice, and it was more louder than usual only because he was the only one close to the lion. He quickly recovered from the shock and said, "We all do, but, like you said, that day won't be today but it will be one day, so we have to wait and prepare ourselves for it."

Simba looked away from Bunga for a moment. The lion pondered briefly before glancing back down on the honey badger and responded with: "I only said half of what you said; nonetheless, it's true. The hyenas' judgement day isn't today, but it will be another day- hopefully not too far from today. And once it does, those monsters will have no mercy handed to them; the only thing they'll get is nonstop torture!"

Bunga nodded as Simba ambled past him. Normally the four other members would follow their leader with determination and other emotions related to their typical character, but they instead walked behind their temporary leader with different emotions- the word "different" didn't just mean that Fuli, Bunga, Beshte, and Ono weren't acting like their usual selves, it also clarified the distinct sentiments they had. Fuli was frightened by Simba's raised voice and- though it decreased slightly so she wouldn't be too skittish -it added more guilt to her already overwhelming contrition. Bunga, Beshte, and Ono weren't exactly incensed but they were once again displeased with the cheetah for her ongoing silence. The lion's vow to have the hyenas brutally slaughtered should have made Fuli completely understand that she had to come clean. From what they could see, she was still pretending that she had nothing to do with the gorge incident and, according to her facial expressions, she appeared like she was ready to break down. Remembering that she told them she was afraid of Simba's reaction if he caught her crying, the honey badger, hippo, and egret decided to persuade the cheetah to calm down and tell Simba the truth with them by her side.

When Simba was stopped by a group of chatty flamingos, Ono hopped off of Beshte's head and walked up to Fuli. "Don't you see how angry he's getting?" he inquired.

"I do, Ono," Fuli replied sadly. "I feel horrible."

"Then you need to tell him the truth," said Beshte. "If you don't, his temper's going to get worse."

"I know," Fuli sighed; "but Simba, he's so-"

"He's angry and you don't want to get yelled at; we get it!" Bunga snapped. "But here's the thing, Fuli: you've been quiet since day one. You've allowed Simba's rage to get bigger and bigger!"

Bunga's rebuke caused Fuli to instantly quiver and tears squeezed through her closed eyes.

At sight of this, Bunga immediately gripped Fuli's shoulder and said as quietly as possible: "Fuli, stop crying! That's what you don't want Simba to see, isn't it?!"

Fuli inhaled through her nose, opened her green eyes, and nodded. "You're right, Bunga. I shouldn't be so stupid in front of Simba. I'm just scared of what'll happen to me once he knows."

"There's a high chance you'll get reprimanded, but it's better than being plagued by guilt; wouldn't you agree?" Beshte asked.

"I guess," Fuli replied. "I'm still worried, though."

"That's why we're going to help you," Ono told the downcast cheetah.

Fuli looked at the egret beside her. Ono didn't even appear reassuring; his voice was enough to convince Fuli that he wasn't being truthful, and that he, Beshte, and Bunga were luring her into a trap.

"Why should I believe you?" the cheetah questioned the egret. "How do I know this isn't a trick to kick me out of the Lion Guard?"

Ono, Bunga, and Beshte heaved a long, aggravated sigh.

"Fuli, your constant stalling isn't doing us any good!" said Bunga. "We're trying to help you do the right thing and you're not cooperating with us!"

"I know but I can't control myself!" Fuli sobbed softly.

"Yes you can!" said Ono. "If you let your sadness get ahold of you, you'll no longer be a part of the Lion Guard!"

It seemed that Fuli was slowly beginning to accept that her friends' words were wholly honest. However, at the moment she was about to agree with the animals beside her, a frantic zebra whose legs were stained with mud galloped at great speed toward Simba. Her sudden arrival and appearance surprised both Simba and the Lion Guard. The rest of the Guard hurried to Simba and the zebra informed them that her family was stuck in a deep mud hole.

"Can you show us where they are?" Simba inquired the hysterical zebra.

"Yes!" replied the zebra. "Follow me! They're not too far from here!"

Simba ordered the four animals behind him to follow him and the zebra to the site of trouble. Bunga, Beshte, and Ono dashed ahead with the lion. Fuli on the other hand struggled to catch up with the others. The grubs she forced herself to eat that morning weren't providing her with the energy she used to have. She grew worried knowing that her lack of vitality would not only cost her and the Guard the mission, but it would surely be noticed by Simba who would subsequently question her.

"Please let me be strong," Fuli prayed quietly. "Please keep my sadness away from Simba."

The panic-stricken zebra led Simba and the Lion Guard to the location of the mud hole. As she had told the group, it was not far from where they previously were and three distressed zebras- the father and two weeping foals -were right in the middle of the wide pond of mud and were struggling to free themselves. Upon seeing the Lion Guard, the zebras cried out, "Lion Guard, help us!"

"Stay right there and keep calm!" Bunga called out to the zebras. "We'll be there in a moment!"

Bunga took several steps back before running toward the mud hole.

"Bunga, stop!" Simba yelled.

It was too late. Bunga had already jumped into the air crying, "ZUKA ZAMA!"

The honey badger plunged into the mud with a small splash. When he tried to swim his way to the stuck zebras, Bunga found it quite hard to do so as the mud was incredibly thick. He turned to the others and said, "Maybe you should go around the mud hole."

Simba sighed. "Bunga, you have to focused on the task at..."

Simba made the mistake of walking toward the mud hole. His two front legs dropped into the hole and the lion wound up with a mouthful of gelatinous mud. He immediately spat the substance out and coughed as he regained normal breathing.

"Are you okay, your highness?" Bunga asked.

"I'm fine," said Simba. "This hole is very deep- deeper than I'd thought it'd be. We must all be careful saving those zebras."

The lion turned his head to Fuli and Beshte and gave them orders. "Beshte, you and Fuli go to the side and make your way in from there."

"You got it!" Beshte replied as he and Fuli hurried to their left.

Simba then turned back to Bunga. "Bunga, let's try to make our way to the zebras from here."

"If you say so," Bunga said hesitantly.

Simba and Bunga struggled across the mud hole while Fuli and Beshte came to the spot where they could travel a short distance to get to the zebras. Beshte was the first to hop into the mud. Fuli followed after gathering enough courage to step in. The lack of energy and the consistency of the mud made it exceedingly hard for the cheetah to move through the thick sludge. She wasn't inclined to give up though, and she continued with her role in the rescue mission.

Beshte and Simba made it to the jammed zebras first and set to work straightaway. The hippo and lion had to be equally forceful and careful; they wanted to free the zebras but did not want any of them to be hurt during the rescue attempt. Simba was able to help the two foal out of the mud. Beshte managed to free the father with a big push of his head and a cry of "Twende Kiboko!".

The three zebras reunited with the fourth and the Lion Guard made their way out of the mud hole. Simba and Beshte had to assist Fuli and Bunga out as they had trouble moving through the stiff mud. Once all five Lion Guard members were on dry ground again, the zebra who had called for help thanked them dearly for saving her family. Simba responded and gave her and her family a few words of wisdom so they could avoid getting stuck again.

The two groups parted ways with the family of zebras strolling away to another part of the Pride Lands and the Lion Guard walking back the way they came. Dark clouds approached from the horizon, indicating that another intense rainfall was coming. To Fuli, it was an irrefutable sign that the conflict between her and her former friends was about to grow calamitous and gloomy. She already saw it in the eyes of Bunga, Beshte, and Ono when they glanced behind their shoulders to lay eyes on her.

As thunder boomed in the distance, Ono muttered something to Beshte and Bunga. Even though his voice was quiet, Fuli was about to make out what he said to his companions. "Like I said, she's nothing but a coward."

Bunga and Beshte nodded as Fuli lowered her head and ears in shame.

The honey badger, hippo, and egret left the cheetah by herself and ran to catch up with the lion. They had no intention of revealing the truth to Simba, even when the desire was in the back of their heads, and decided early on that they would continue to pressure Fuli to confess and apologize for loosening the mountain of rocks and causing one boulder to plummet and crush Kion's left leg. All three were sick of hearing her restate her claims that she had no intention of hurting anyone and that the whole incident was a complete accident.

The other day, Bunga, Beshte, and Ono had a secret meeting about Fuli and the current situation.

" _Perhaps it was an accident_ ," Beshte said; " _but that still doesn't mean she should keep the truth hidden from Simba._ "

" _That's true_ ," Ono replied. " _We have to get Fuli to tell Kion she's sorry, no matter how tough we get_."

" _And if we don't, Janja and the hyenas will be killed_ ," Bunga stated. " _It would be nice if Simba got them off our backs forever, but still, it's unfair to be sentence to death for a crime you didn't commit_."

This was met with the agreements of Beshte and Ono, and all three animals agreed to carry on with their plan to coerce Fuli in order to make her apologize to the one who needed it most.

Rain fell onto the Pride Lands. The droplets dropped at a great speed and everyone felt like they were being pelted with tiny pebbles that instantly morphed into water upon impact. The animals ran for their homes or any other place to wait out the storm. Simba quickly dismissed the Lion Guard of their duties for the day before he sprinted to Pride Rock. Bunga, Beshte, and Ono went to their respective homes, while Fuli silently but swiftly trailed behind Simba. The lion hurried up to where his family and pride were and the cheetah slipped into the Lair of the Lion Guard without being seen.

Fuli shook as much water off her fur before settling in for what would feel like an eternity before the rain would stop. She made sure that she was not only hidden if Simba or Bunga, Beshte, and Ono suddenly entered the lair, but also far away from the opening above that fed rainwater to the pool where Beshte would relax and spend time with his friends. The sight of the pond rought back memories of the days before the incident, and those memories brought tears to Fuli's eyes. She remembered all the good times she and the others had; the successful missions in both the Pride Lands and the Outlands; the fantastic adventures to and from lands far away; and the wonderful occasions they got to attend.

Every delightful memory Fuli and the other Lion Guard members made since the start faded away in the aftermath of the calamity and it widened the empty cavity in her heart. The cheetah laid her head on a rock and continued to snivel. She disliked her depression and how it was affecting her, yet she was completely aware of what was causing it and how to end it; it was the solution that Fuli detested the most.

Yielding was a course of action anyone would not want to take, but it seemed to be the only cogent option in this situation. The reason Fuli disfavored it was because (in her opinion) it would make appear weak to others- if it would also make her feel weak inside, she would disapprove it to the point where she was vocally rejecting. Her voice seemed to be the last thing about her that was strong. Her energy, her physical strength, and her devotion to everyone in the Pride Lands were either extremely low or were already gone. Fuli didn't even care anymore. It gave the impression that her sense of good judgement was also fading away.

Fuli slowly fell asleep in spite of the clatter of rain, the flashes of lightning, and the explosions of thunder. The past six days had been awful with Bunga, Beshte, and Ono stressing her to go and apologize to Kion for causing the rock-slide, even if it was accidental. The injured cub was not too far away since the Lair of the Lion Guard was literally a part of Pride Rock, but Fuli didn't have the courage to go and confront her demons. Her depression had only existed for less than a week, but, with her physical strength and mental health declining, the cheetah was a total wreck and she loathed herself for being one.

She knew everything about the conflict and the things she agreed and disagreed with. Unfortunately, that wasn't enough to provide Fuli with the answer to the question that haunted her day in and day out: if she wasn't going to give in to her oppressors' demands, what could be done to end the misery?


	6. Chapter 6

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I would like everyone to know a couple things before we continue the story. 1) I will be moving this story to the "Lion Guard" category since it takes place in the spin-off series and not the movie franchise. 2) Originally this fanfic was to focus on Fuli and her depression, but, after receiving a comment from a person named " _Westerhouse_ " who complained that everything is focused on nothing else but the aftermath of the "gorge incident" as I call it and realizing that the hyenas are a major element to the plot, I've decided that this story will be much more dramatic with the inclusion of Janja and his clan. By the way, if you believe you know what is going to happen next, please do me a favor and don't say anything (you might spoil the drama other people might anticipate later on). Until then, I've decided to reintroduce Kion into the story. How? Take a look.

" _Honestly, Fuli, do you really think that you can stay quiet until the whole thing will blow over?_ "

Fuli cringed as the voice in her head upbraided her for the third time that morning. The two previous rebukes were nothing new, yet they still rejuvenated the acute regret that was now ten days old. Those ten days had been dreadful with Bunga, Beshte, and Ono frequently oppressing her in view of the fact that she had not made an apology to Kion or Simba for her ill-chosen endeavor that physical affected Kion and mentally affected her friends and Simba's Pride. She wasn't exactly sure how upset Nala and Kiara were because they were hardly seen roaming the Pride Lands. The cheetah was once acquainted with the remembrance of the lioness' reaction when she saw her carrying the crippled cub on her back; the potency of her remorse swelled as the recollection of Nala's sobs echoed in her wilted ears.

In a bid to clear her mind of the guilt, Fuli gazed far out in the direction of the rising sun. The hue of the sky altered from indigo to azure as the bright yellow orb ascended above the Pride Lands. There were light gray clouds floating over the savanna and the orange outer light of the sun casted a pink shadow under them. A beautiful scene it was.

Sadly, the sight of a gorgeous sunrise wasn't enough to force the chastising voice in Fuli's mind into silence.

" _You ignore me, you ignore me, and then you ignore me! You know how to stop the pain, your friends even stopped bullying you and tried to help; but did you accept their offering? No; you just ignored them! You've turned into a great pain in the ass; you know that?_ "

Fuli cringed yet again at her inner voice's heartless words.

The malign voice the cheetah had been hearing made its presence known two days ago. On that day, Bunga, Beshte, and Ono kept their distance from her. Normally, Fuli would stay a few steps away from her former friends; now Bunga, Beshte, and Ono made sure they were farther away from her and twice as silent. They still had a firm belief that with the use of shunning and other intimidating tactics, Fuli would finally yield and apologize for her impetuous act that not only broke Kion's left leg but brought his mother to tears.

If she knew someone who could keep secrets and provide advice, Fuli would pour her heart out about how cruel the persecution was and that she constantly debated whether or not to come forward with her confession and apology. The cheetah could no longer fight the guilt and contain the truth regarding Kion's injury. No matter how hard she tried to push it to the side, it always came back to plague her day and night, demanding her to release it to the world. She didn't want to though. Whenever she pondered who would be the first to know the truth, she feared the consequences that would immediately follow if the animal in question would pass the information on to Simba in a dishonest manner. Time and time again, Fuli would assume that there was no one she could trust, and, for the most part, it was plausible since all her friends were around her age and they, just like everyone else in the Pride Lands, were sincerely loyal to Simba.

The possibility of exile entered her thoughts again as she tried to make sense of her situation. Fuli reimagined the scene of Simba banishing her to the Outlands for the rest of her life. Every character in her past visions were there- the lionesses who sharply glared at her and forced her away from Pride Rock, and the three young animals who she had been a friend to gleeful watching as she eventually fled from her homeland in a panic.

Just like her previous delusions, when she was about to enter the Outlands, Fuli snapped back into reality; and when she did, she surveyed the land before her. The sun was almost fully risen. It was time for her to start another day. The cheetah had little energy, and this fact stirred another debate that would constantly pop up: should she even continue her Lion Guard duties? Bunga, Beshte, and Ono didn't want her around, but they knew the truth about the incident, and with Simba filling in for his son, the likelihood that they would tell him was at an extremely high level.

Fuli's deliberation supplied the voice in her head with material for new taunts.

" _So, you're afraid of Simba finding out and banishing you to the Outlands, huh? That is scary, but that's exactly what'll happen if you don't come clean. I'm sure you know that by now. Surely you know right from wrong. You had a mother once, I'm sure of that too. She must've told you how to know right from wrong. I know you can figure that out; or maybe you want to spend the rest of your days as Janja's bitch!_ "

Fuli was so appalled that her jaw dropped. She thought that the voice was actually giving her some advice, but she was wrong and exceedingly shocked to hear the final retort. Bunga, Beshte, and Ono had said awful things to her over the past ten days; none of those insults could outmatch the unimaginable slur she heard from the voice in her head. Fuli didn't know exactly what a "bitch" was, but it was evident that it meant something particularly dreadful, something that would surely be considered a form of torture.

A mere two seconds after the voice said its scandalizing remark, Fuli could no longer contain her emotions. "No! I don't want to be Janja's bitch; not anyone's bitch!" she cried. "Please, leave me alone!"

Fuli realized that her pleas came out of her in a piercing scream. She immediately looked all around to see if anyone was staring at her in annoyance or concern. Not an animal in sight. Fuli was safe.

The embarrassed cheetah slumped back onto the ground and sighed. The voice returned.

" _You know, I shouldn't be wasting your time. Come on, get up, go do your Lion Guard duties. That is, if you can start your day._ "

Fuli sighed again; only this time she was vexed. It was going to be difficult for her to hunt with little to no energy. She had an alternative source of food, and that was enough motivation for her to get up and search for an impala or gazelle. The size of the animal didn't matter; as long as Fuli had something to eat, she wasn't going to complain.

Unfortunately, her health wasn't as good as it used to be. It was yet another symptom of her depression, and it always inflicted agony on Fuli. Much like Bunga, Beshte, and Ono, her failing health showed no remorse or compassion whenever it struck.

Fuli struggled to bring air into her aching lungs to soothe her rapidly beating heart as she fiercely sped after a panicked impala. It seemed that all the air breathed in was immediately forced out, increasing the pain in her chest. Regardless of the possibility of death, the cheetah continued to pursue her prey. She had not eaten meat for the past two days, and the desire to chow down on the impala's muscle tissue overwhelmed her, commanded her to focus on the goal of catching and killing the animal ahead of her.

The phrase "without warning" would be an understatement. Because she drank from the watering hole once a day for the last three days and it was the start of another sultry day, Fuli felt her body temperature soar dramatically. The world around her began to spin and she couldn't focus on her target. Fuli didn't know what was happening to her; she tried to keep going, she tried to run after the impala. In the end, she collapsed onto the solid earth and blacked out.

As she regained consciousness, Fuli moaned when she felt someone's paw dab water on her forehead. She heard two familiar voices saying her name and asking her if she could hear them. When her vision was stable again, Fuli saw a cream-colored lioness and an elderly mandrill looking down at her. Their perturbed expressions indicted that they had witnessed her faint from exhaustion and rushed to her aid. She also noticed that she had been moved. Instead of waking up in the wide open savanna, bathing in the broiling hotness of the sun, she was now in the refreshing shade of a tree.

In an attempt to tone down the adults' anxiety, the cheetah gave a weak smile and said, "Hi, Nala. Hi, Rafiki."

"Are you alright, Fuli?" the mandrill, who was Rafiki, inquired.

"I guess so," Fuli replied as she tried to sit up.

Nala stopped her with a paw to the shoulder. "Fuli, you need to lay down," she advised. "We're not sure if it's safe for you to stand up just yet."

"But I feel fine," Fuli insisted. "All that happened was I got a little dizzy and I fell down."

"You also lost consciousness," said Rafiki. He lowered the end of his walking staff and the two large tree nuts tied to it skimmed the fur on top of Fuli's head. "From what Nala and I saw, you appeared to have trouble breathing before you fainted. Did you feel sick while you were running?"

"I did feel hot," Fuli admitted.

"So why didn't you stop?" Nala asked.

"I was trying to get my breakfast," Fuli replied with a small chuckle. "I need to eat too."

Nala and Rafiki stared soberly at Fuli. The smile on her face faded as she grasped the degree of trepidation her "illness" had caused. She couldn't blame the lioness and mandrill for being exceedingly concerned. Who on earth could watch someone faint and simply ignore that animal? Fuli was sure that a major source of Nala and Rafiki's apprehension came from Simba, who undoubtedly spoke his feelings about her sudden change in behavior and her refusal to talk. There was a high chance that they might continually ask her the same question as Simba had, and the thought alone agitated the cheetah.

In spite of her fears, Fuli gathered enough courage to speak to Nala and Rafiki. "I'm sorry I said that," she said. "I didn't mean to upset you."

"We're not upset, Fuli," Nala responded. "We're very concerned. Simba told me that you haven't been yourself since Kion was injured. I was worried myself, and now that this happened, I have more than one reason to be greatly concerned about you- so does Rafiki."

Rafiki nodded and said, "Remember, Fuli, there are more animals in the Pride Lands than your mind thinks there are. If you have anything that is bugging you, you will go to someone for help; is that right?"

"Yes," Fuli replied.

"Good," said Rafiki. "I must go now. Makini and I are going to Pride Rock to check on Kion. In the meantime, Fuli, you will stay here in the shade until you feel completely better. There is some water in this hollowed baobab fruit so you won't have to travel to the watering hole."

"Thanks, Rafiki," Fuli sighed.

Rafiki nodded once more before departing.

"And I must go to Pride Rock," Nala said. "Kion and Kiara need their breakfast and Simba needs to know you are unable to join the Guard today."

"No!" Fuli cried. She attempted to scramble to feet; almost instantly, her head suddenly throbbed and she flopped onto the ground. Nala rushed to the cheetah and helped her into a more comfortable position.

Fuli gazed up at Nala and said in a quiet, pleading voice: "Please don't tell Simba. I don't want him to see me like this."

Nala sighed. "I'm sorry, Fuli, but Simba must know about your condition. We don't want anything bad to happen to you. You've always been kindhearted, strong-willed, and, all in all, a wonderful friend to everyone. I hate to see you in this sort of depression, and it's just startling that someone like you would fall into one so quickly."

Fuli hung her head. The words Nala used to describe her touched her heart. Still, she wondered how fast the queen's demeanor would change once she learned who was truly responsible for Kion's injury.

"I understand that Kion means so much to you, but I can't understand why your depression is so strong," Nala continued. She lowered herself so her eyesight would be equal to Fuli's. "Please hear me, Fuli. When Rafiki said there are more animals in the Pride Lands than you think, he wanted you to do the same thing I want you to do. Tell me what's troubling you. I promise to listen. I promise to help."

Again, Fuli felt warmth and angst collide. Nala's choice of words proved to be uplifting in the sense that she could finally break free from her anguish. Yet the possibility of a lifelong punishment still loomed over the cheetah. She wanted to respond to the queen; however, a wave of emotion formed what felt like a lump in her throat, causing her to swallow her words and tears to spill from her eyes.

Nala watched as Fuli's head dropped to the ground. The lioness tried to console the young cheetah and ask her what was wrong, but the cub refused to lift her head up. When she heard Fuli struggle to quiet her sobs, Nala ceased repeating her question and wrapped an arm around the cheetah in a small hug.

When it sounded like Fuli had toned down her emotions, Nala spoke softly to her. "I'm not pressuring you to tell the truth, Fuli. I would never want to make you cry. Yes, we're all worried sick about you just as we are about Kion, but your silence isn't helping us understand why you're so miserable.

"Look, I'll leave you alone so you can relax. But, I need you to make me a promise. If you feel uncomfortable talking to Simba, that's alright; but whenever you feel like you're ready to talk, you'll come to me and we can talk in private. Promise?"

Fuli was quiet for a moment, her calmly breathing being the only sound she made. She kept her head down, but in a hoarse voice, the cheetah uttered, "I promise."

Nala bent down and kissed the top of Fuli's head. "Stay in the shade until you feel better," she said softly. "Rafiki left you some water and I left you a piece of meat, so you'll have something to eat. I'll visit you before sunset."

Nala gave Fuli another hug before walking in the direction of Pride Rock, carrying the carcass of an impala in her jaws. The wretched cheetah watched the lioness leave with the remains of the animal she tried to catch. It demeaned her. She managed to prevent herself from tearing up with a few deep breaths and a drink of water.

The sense of acute indignity was washed away as Fuli ate her breakfast little by little. To her, the taste of meat was beyond euphoric. After a dozen failed attempts to catch a single animal to eat, she felt blessed to be reunited with the scent, texture, and flavor of fresh meat- it filled her with ecstasy. Because it had been two days since she ate her usual source of food, the cheetah was careful not to devour the whole chunk Nala had given her. She was unsure if filling her stomach would make her sick or not, and there was no way she wanted to find out whether or not it was true, so she ate at a slow taste, which helped her savor all three sensations the other predators felt when they dined on their prey.

Fuli spent the rest of the morning laying in the shade, occasionally taking a sip of water from the baobab fruit left for her. The meat she had eaten gratified her stomach and a warm sense of bliss coursed through her body. This sensation combined with the coolness of the shade to create a pleasant feeling, and this feeling contented Fuli in the sense that she would quickly recover and be able to walk without getting woozy.

Alas, guilt returned to haunt the cheetah. It struck her the moment she was about to fall asleep with her head resting on a tree root. Normally, being overwhelmed by the repeated demand to admit her wrongdoing from her oppressors served as the origin of her melancholic episodes. This time, penitence gave way to severe dread. Unlike the dozens of episodes before, the period of desolation Fuli was going through sprouted from the speculation that (perhaps) Bunga, Beshte, and Ono were acting like tormentors so she would do the right thing. True, she still debated if her role in the accident was true or not, but after spending the entire morning in deep contemplation, the cheetah discerned that- even if it was false -the best way to end her misery was to concede. The reason why she didn't come forward in the first place was completely understandable in her terms. Nonetheless, it was an explanation that would cause the entire pride (especially Simba and Nala) to dump tons of questions on her, mainly about the bullying she had to endure.

For the duration of her recuperation, Fuli did her best to relax and maybe enjoy a nice nap. She surmised that with good virtue, everyone would comprehend that she was sorry and forgive her. Sadly, this theory had a short lifespan.

Only seconds after her decision to confess to Kion and Simba was made, yet again, the fear of punishment showed its ugly face to her. Fuli wasn't scared for the first ten seconds- because of its frequency, the premonition of exile was beginning to lose its ability to bedevil her. Then, the voice in her head came back.

" _Now you decide to tell the truth? Don't you think it's far past too late to admit it? It's true that I said you should come clean; then I thought of something, and you should consider this too. When you finally tell Simba and the rest of pride the truth, will they really forgive you?_ "

Almost immediately, the cheetah comprehended what the voice was telling her. It was confounding at first because the voice mocked her for staying silent; then Fuli realized exactly how dreadful the consequences would be once she confessed. Exile was still likely, but another familiar, horrifying punishment came to mind. The circumstances regarding Kion's injury made the possibility more relevant and she shivered in fear. No matter how abhorrent it would appear to a wise animal's eyes, it seemed just right for a criminal of her kind, and those who demanded justice would demand it and never relent.

Execution.

As previously mentioned, some if not a lot of Pride Landers would find the notion of sentencing an animal Fuli's age to death to be heinous and, if King Simba would passionately and stubbornly insist the sentence to be carried out, immensely detestable. Yet, one had to remember that Kion had his leg broken when a boulder tumbled onto him. The poor cub could've been killed if the large rock had fallen with a much stronger force. Fuli knew all-too well it was a crime against the Royal Family. If Simba was so enraged he could tear a hyena to shreds, he could literally do the execution himself.

Fuli rested her forehead on the tree root and, instead of crying, cursed herself for being quiet. The memory of denying the allegations replayed itself as she pondered why she considered silence as the solution to her problem. She already knew it wasn't worth, so why did she keep quiet? To avoid punishment- at least for a period of time.

Reality was mercilessly bashing the cheetah. It made her understand that she could not escape the eventual consequences for not only injuring Kion but failing to admit it. Bunga, Beshte, and Ono weren't scolding her for causing the accident; their harsh words were meant to save her. Fuli had a chance to evade the anguish when she was first told of her wrongdoing. Did she had to trust her denial? Of course she wouldn't be in such a solvable situation she was now if she yielded, and she would've gotten off easy with a temporary ban from the Lion Guard. But ten days had gone by, and she said nothing. A permanent ban from the Pride Lands or eternity in hell was the only outcome the cheetah saw; and she cursed herself for being so stupid.

For Fuli, it felt like an entire day had passed before she heard something in the distance. The sound grew and she recognized the voices of Simba, Bunga, Beshte, and Ono, and the volume of their voices were gradually increasing, indicating that they were approaching. Oh, great, Fuli thought.

The cheetah unhurriedly sat up and pivoted her head to face her visitors. Simba noticed she was looking at him and the Guard, so he stopped and said, "Hello, Fuli. How are you doing?"

"I feel better than I did this morning," Fuli responded.

"Good," Simba stated. "Nala and I were afraid that you were severely ill."

Before Fuli spoke, she glanced at the three young animals accompanying him. They were murmuring to each other, suggesting that they were pretending to agree with the king. Simba didn't take note of it and awaited for the cheetah to speak.

"I...I kinda forgot what I was going to say," Fuli said; "but...oh, now I remember. I'm sorry if I caused a little panic among anyone the pride."

"You didn't cause any panic, Fuli," Simba told the cheetah. "It's that you've been a little...dispirited."

"Dispirited?"

"Yes. Ever since Kion was injured, you have changed. You're sad all the time, you refuse to take part in missions, and when you do, you act like you have no energy."

Simba was about to continue his rant when he remembered that Bunga, Beshte, and Ono were standing by his side. Fuli could see that they were smugly grinning, clearly enjoying the moment until Simba asked them to leave for a moment.

Once the trio were gone, Simba sighed as he stepped closer to the cheetah. "Fuli, when Nala told me you were sick, she brought up a conversation she had with you," he said; "and if I'm correct, you promised that you would talk to her about whatever's going on with you. Do you remember when I told you the same thing?"

"I do remember," Fuli replied quietly.

"We're not saying that to make you feel bad," Simba continued. "We know something is wrong and we want to help. Whatever's making you not want to tell anyone, Nala and I will understand how you feel. But no matter what, Fuli, once you explain everything to either of us, you won't be sad anymore. Understand?"

Fuli did understand; she knew what she had to do, yet the prospect of exile or execution forced her to resist. Though emotions were grappling inside her, the cheetah nodded and said, "Yes. I'll come and talk when I'm ready."

Simba beamed, very pleased to hear Fuli agree to what he and Nala asked, if not pleaded, for her to do. Fuli herself felt warm when the king smiled, and she smiled too.

Out of the corner of her eye, the cheetah instantly took note of a group of animals coming their way. Even from a distance, she was able to make out Nala, Rafiki, a younger mandrill, and two lion cubs, one of which appeared to be limping a little. The younger mandrill was Rafiki's apprentice Makini, a pleasant character in the Pride Lands who- while could be easy to fool -was good at heart and very easy to befriend. One of the lion cubs walking in between her and Nala was Kiara whom Fuli had not seen in days; the same went for the other lion cub, who no one not expect to see until he was fully recovered.

"Kion?" Simba gasped upon laying eyes on the group.

When one of the cubs replied "Hey, dad!" in a familiar voice, he and Fuli rushed to the group, as did Bunga, Beshte, and Ono. A joyful moment ensued with hugs and comments about how much Kion was missed.

"But your leg is broken," Ono said at one point. "How are able to stand up?"

A chuckle came from Rafiki. "It's simple," he explained. "Makini and I created a splint using sticks and leaves, and carefully applied it to Kion's leg. As you can see, he is able to walk around despite having a broken leg. We will still need to wait until it is fully healed, but at least Kion won't be inside all day, am I right?"

"You bet!" said Kion.

"You can say that again!" said Bunga, jumping up to his best friend. "For a minute there, I was sure we wouldn't see you again for another thirty-something sunsets. This is fantastic! We can do all the cool things we always do again!"

"Not quite, Bunga," Simba said from behind. "Kion still has a broken leg so he has to be careful not to hurt himself. That means he can't lead the Lion Guard just yet."

"Ah, man," Bunga groaned kicking the dirt.

"Don't worry, Bunga, we can still have fun," Kion reassured the honey badger. Then his gaze shifted to Fuli. "I heard you were sick, Fuli. You feeling alright."

"I feel good as new," the cheetah responded. "Probably because you showed up. I missed you just as much as Bunga, Beshte, and Ono did."

The three animals mentioned suddenly stared at Fuli with what could only be described as menacing looks. The cheetah noticed those looks but did her best to ignore them. She didn't want things to escalate so quickly.

"That's great to hear," said Kion. "You know, I think I really missed you the most. You got me home after my leg was broken. I owe you one for that."

This comment was incredibly gratifying, so much so that Fuli actually blushed. "It was nothing, Kion," she replied. "I was only being a good friend."

"Well, it was still the greatest thing anyone could do at the time," Kion stated. "Thank you."

Detecting Fuli's reaction to her brother's comment, Kiara strolled up to Fuli and said, "You kinda look warm, Fuli. Are you getting sick, or are you just blushing?"

"Who, me?" Fuli blurted in surprise. "Why would I be blushing? I don't blush!"

"Well, you looked like you were," Kiara replied with an arch grin and narrowed eyes.

Kion laughed while Fuli pretended to be oblivious to what Kiara said about her blushing, almost as if to get her to confess that she loved Kion. Secretly, Fuli held strong emotions toward the brave lion cub, yet she found herself unready to release the secret to anyone, especially Kion.

With so much positive sentiments among the group, Fuli believed she was finally free from the mental torment she endured in the wake of the gorge incident. After all, Simba and Nala displayed signs of concern over her and their words were genuine when they promised to listen when she was ready to talk to them. True, the cheetah was still perturbed over the potential penalty she would have to deal with, but she was convinced that the lions would understand that she was trying to climb up the rocks to help Kion drive away the hyenas; as such, her punishment would be lightened to something more tolerable.

The happiness seemed to dissolve when Kiara said, "If you're up to it, Fuli, you can come to Pride Rock and talk to Kion in private. Believe me, no one's in the den unless mom isn't busy with the pride."

Fuli's original reply was a plain "Okay, thanks," but she swallowed it, sensing possible deception in the princess' offer. It did sound innocent; however, she was unsure if it was worth the risk.

Sure enough, the voice spoke to her. " _You've been given a chance to apologize. Take it, if you're brave enough._ "

"Fuli? Fuli, are you alright? Fuli?!" Kion inquired.

The cheetah snapped back into reality, to find everyone staring at her. Bunga, Beshte, and Ono's expressions were obvious. Kion, Kiara, and Makini looked just as anxious as the adults were.

"You look like you've seen a ghost," Makini remarked. "Is there something on your mind?"

" _Go on,_ " the voice in Fuli's head hissed. " _Tell them. They're waiting._ "

Fuli briefly hesitated until telling Makini: "It's personal, but I agreed with Simba and Nala to talk to them when I felt...emotionally stable."

Her explanation received mixed but unsurprising responses. Makini and Kion appeared to understand what that meant. Simba, Nala, and Rafiki smiled at Fuli, pleased to know she would one day reveal what was bothering her. Bunga, Beshte, and Ono didn't look a bit convinced and they frowned. Kiara on the other hand gave the cheetah a somewhat puzzled look, not to say she was skeptical, but somewhere along the lines of concern.

"Well, I think it's time for the Guard and I to continue patrol," Simba announced. "I wish you good health, Fuli."

After the Lion Guard departed, Rafiki and Makini left as well, not before advising Kion to be wise so he wouldn't damage the splint or his leg. Nala and Kion were the last ones to leave. Fuli thought Kiara would go with her mother and brother on a walk through the Pride Lands. Instead, the princess told the queen: "I'd like to talk with Fuli if you don't mind. It's been a long time since I've seen her."

Nala nodded her head and she and Kion strolled off. Fuli watched them fade in the distance until Kiara broke the silence. "Emotionally stable?" she inquired. "Why would you need to be emotionally stable to talk to my parents?"

"Like I said, it's personal," Fuli stated, looking down at the ground.

"As in, personal loss?" Kiara asked. "Like, someone you know has died?"

As far as they knew, no one in the Pride Lands had passed away; if there was a death, news would have traveled all over the savanna and a funeral would take place. Yet the thought of another's passing made Fuli think about her mother whom she lost at a very young age. Her fate was never made known but anguish still engulfed her when the other cheetahs informed her that she had to live on her own from that day on. She was use to it now, but back then it was intensely hard.

Fuli shook the recollection out of her head and told Kiara: "Not that. It's just, I'm stick in a big problem and I don't know what to do."

"Oh, I see," said Kiara. "What is this problem?"

"It's extremely bad," Fuli explained. "Something happened and a part of me says it's all my fault. I want someone to help me but I'm scared that I'll get punished; and I don't mean a punishment like a scolding or forced labor, I mean something more severe."

Kiara's facial appearance hadn't altered, making Fuli believe the princess wasn't told anything relating to her brother's injury. "Sounds like you're over-reacting to me," she replied. "But tell me, what exactly happened that makes you think you're in big trouble?"

"I...I..." Fuli faltered, afraid of the possibility of a violent outburst from Kiara. "I was trying to help someone and...and it all went wrong."

"What did you do?"

"I...I...I accidently-"

Fuli paused. She took note of how Kiara was hunched over and a faint growling noise became audible. A pair of green eyes expanded as the cheetah attempted to escape without making a sound. Before Fuli could break out in a sprint, Kiara pounced from behind and pinned her to the earth. "Bunga was right!" Kiara snarled into Fuli's ear.

"No, what Bunga said isn't true!" Fuli cried, struggling to free herself.

Kiara jumped up and all four of her legs came down on the cheetah's back and hind legs, immobilizing her. The force of the fall drove her claws into Fuli's skin causing her to roar in pain.

"You monster!" roared the princess. "Kion's your friend! He's my brother! He's everything to us! How could you do this to him, to us?! TELL ME!"

"It was an accident, Kiara!" Fuli wailed. "I was trying to get to Janja and the rocks gave way!"

Fuli felt Kiara pull her right paw off her back and slam it down on the side of her head. There was nothing but dirt on the ground so the cheetah suffered no harm to the left side of her face. Her right eye focused on the enraged lion cub standing over her.

"Were you helping Janja?!" Kiara snarled.

Fuli practically screamed her response. "NO! I WOULD NEVER HELP JANJA! HE CAUSED THE ROCK-SLIDE, NOT ME!"

"That's what they all say!" Kiara hissed as she clinched her paws, squeezing Fuli's fur and skin and causing her to scream once more.

The next moment, Fuli felt the agony and weight of Kiara diminish. To her relief, the lion cub had stepped off of her. Without thinking, she made another attempt to escape. The instant she climbed to her feet, a hard object was driven into her stomach. Whatever it was, it was not meant to stab her, but to weaken her a second time; and weaken her it did.

Fuli collapsed on her side, clutching her stomach and gasping for air, coughing occasionally. After some perfunctory thinking, she concluded that Kiara had kicked her, an impossible feat since the princess had her tail facing Fuli's side when it happened. Even if she was hit on her left flank there would still be pain, and the motive for such inflictions were profoundly apparent.

Kiara approached Fuli at a leisurely pace, seemingly enjoying the sight before her, then stood menacingly over the cheetah. Following several seconds of silence, the lion cub bent down and asked in a hiss-like whisper: "Tell me, Fuli; are you still planning to hide the truth forever?"

The only reply she got from Fuli were short gasps and small coughs.

"I guess not," Kiara continued. "Know this, Fuli: I know what you did, and so does Tiifu and Zuri. Bunga told us everything and we don't blame him, Beshte, or Ono wanting you to admit what you've done. Take my advice, you swine: confess, 'cause we're not gonna! You wanna tell all of your crime? Good. You're afraid of getting kicked out of the Lion Guard or the Pride Lands? Great! A traitor like you deserves it!"

Kiara stepped over Fuli a second time, this time managing to step on her upper leg, and headed home. The cheetah curled into a ball and wept as quietly as possible. She felt more than the intense kick to her stomach. Fuli was overwhelmed with demoralization and dismay. One moment she was confident in resolving her emotional problem, the next she knew, she was physically assaulted by another character who was once a good friend. All of her friends were now enemies and the likelihood of being banished or killed returned with a vengeance, reducing Simba and Nala's kind words to nothing.

"I don't understand," Fuli sobbed. "I was going to do what they want me to do, but they still treat me like I tried to kill Kion. I didn't mean to do anything wrong! Why can't they just stop?! Why won't they let me end it?! WHY?!"

Fuli laid on the ground crying loudly, begging for forgiveness, pleading for help in an empty part of the savanna. Hope seemed lost and a way out of the torment was no where in sight. She hated herself for not telling the truth when she had the chance. She criticized herself for the actions she took to keep others from inquiring about the alteration of her character. And all the while, the voice in her head cackled maniacally, signifying a longer, brutal war loomed ahead, and her life would either carry on in the Outlands or come to a barbaric end.


End file.
